Congress misleading Muslims on new citizenship law: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday hit out at the Congress, accusing it of "instigating and misleading" Muslims over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) whose passage in Parliament last month triggered protests across the country. He clarified that there is no question of snatching citizenship of any Muslim born in India.

Shah, who stepped down as BJP president a few days ago, was addressing a gathering of party workers and intellectuals at the partys state office Kushabhau Thakre Parisar in Raipur.

They (the Congress & company) are stoking fear, provoking minorities and instigating riots. To further politics of appeasement, they are spreading falsehood that Muslim will lose their citizenship (under CAA)," Shah said. There is no question of Muslims born and living in India losing their citizenship due to this Act which is meant to grant citizenship (to minority refugees from three neighbouring countries) not snatching away anyone's citizenship," the BJP leader said.

Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shah challenged him to point out any provision in the controversial law that talks about taking away anyone's nationality.

"Rahul Baba let me know if there is even a single provision in the Act regarding forfeiting anyone's citizenship," he said.

The CAA promises Indian citizenship to persecuted non- Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. CAA's critics say the law is discriminatory and violates the core values of the Constitution. Attacking Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Shah said, Kejriwal says the BJP has love for Pakistan. He should not teach the BJP patriotism.

"Two years back Modi ji put behind bars Kanhaiya (student leader Kanhaiya Kumar) and company after they raised slogans at the JNU calling for vivisection of India."

"He shouldnt teach us patriotism. Our life started with Bharat Mata ki Jayakare (slogans hailing mother India) and will end with that."

"They are not Pakistanis (those have come to India after facing religious persecution and atrocities from the neighbouring country). There are very much our brothers who could not come that time (during Partition). They are tortured and are in pain. You (Kejriwal) are opposing citizenship law because of vote-banks politics," he said ahead of the February 8 polling in Delhi.

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Coming down heavily on non-BJP parties for criticising decisions of the Centre, Shah accused Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kejriwal of speaking Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's language.

Opposition parties raise objection over the surgical strike, new triple talaq law, CAA, action against those who shout anti India slogans. "As Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal and Mamata ji speak the next day, the Prime Minister of Pakistan also speaks the same language. Sometimes it is hard to understand what is their relationship. Are they twins..?" he asked sarcastically.

Highlighting the achievements of the Modi government, Shah said, The economy of our country which was of USD 2 trillion grew to 3 trillion dollars in the last five years. We will make India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024.

In 2019, the people of the country reposed their faith in the Modi government because of the workdone by it in the last five years.

"After this (in the Modi government 2.0), we started dealing with ideological issues which were pending for 70 years. We scrapped Article 370 (in J&K) and abolished the practice of triple talaq to ensure rights to crores of Muslim sisters," the home minister said.

Within four months, construction of a magnificent Lord Ram temple will start in Ayodhya, Shah said. Speaking further, Shah asked party workers in Chhattisgarh not to get disheartened by the party's debacle in the November 2018 Assembly elections. The setback was short-lived as six months later the BJP bounced back and did well in the Lok Sabha elections in the Congress-ruled state, he said.

The BJP, after losing the 2018 assembly polls, won nine of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 in Chhattisgarh, where the saffron outfit was in power for 15 years.

"Some people seem worried due to the BJP's loss in the state. They say our government has gone in the state. They look disappointed with this but they should not be disheartened," Shah said, giving a pep talk to party workers. He said "BJP workers bloom more when they are in the opposition. People have given us mandate to sit in the opposition this time in Chhattisgarh. We should respect their mandate, but continue our fight for their rights," he said.

Shah said the BJP is a party driven by ideology.

"The BJP is the only party which has entered politics for ideology. Except Communists, most parties have become family parties which have nothing to do with ideology," he added.

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