'Show me a country that says everybody is welcome': MEA Jaishankar on CAA

country in world says everybody is welcome, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday, hitting out at those criticising India over Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Jaishankar criticised United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for its criticism on situation in Jammu and Kashmir, saying its director had been wrong previously too and one should look at UN body's past record on handling Kashmir issue.

"We have tried to reduce number of stateless people through this legislation. That should be appreciated," he said when asked about CAA at ET Global Business Summit. "We have done it in a way that we do t create a bigger problem for ourselves." "Everybody, when y look at citizenship, has a context and has a criterion. Show me a country in world which says everybody in world is welcome. body says that" minister said.

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external affairs minister said moving out of Regional Comprehensive Ecomic Partnership (RCEP) was in interest of India's business. Asked about UNHRC director t agreeing with India on Kashmir issue, Jaishankar said: "UNHRC director has been wrong before. "UNHRC skirts around cross-border terrorism as if it has thing to do with country next door. Please understand where y are coming from; look at UNHRC's record how y handled Kashmir issue in past," he added. 

UNHRC on CAA

Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday issued a statement on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights filing an intervention application in Supreme Court pertaining to petition challenging Citizenship Amendment Act. Stressing that CAA was an internal matter of India, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar categorically stated that foreign party had any locus standi on issues concerning India’s sovereignty. Moreover, he emphasised that CAA was consistent with India’s commitment to addressing human rights issues arising out of partition. reafter, Kumar exuded confidence that CAA would withstand legal scrutiny in Supreme Court.  

CAA seeks to provide citizenship to mirity communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. This will be applicable to members of se communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. Moreover, y will t be considered as illegal migrants. Additionally, mandatory residence period for naturalised citizenship for se communities has been reduced to five years. Opposition contends that Act discriminates on basis of religion.

(With PTI inputs) 

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