CAA Row: MoS Reddy defends Bill, says 'Not a single word in Act against Indian citizens'

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Saturday stated that there is not a "single paragraph or a word against the 130 crore people of India" in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

'What are they protesting against?'

Speaking to ANI in Hyderabad, Reddy said, "I want to ask those on dharna and protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, why they are protesting for and against what? There is not a single para or a word against even one of the 130 crore people of India in the Act."

Talking about the people protesting against the amended citizenship law in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, the Union Minister said, "I want to ask whether they are on dharna for people residing in Pakistan and Bangladesh? In CAA, there is not a single word against any person, whether he is Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Sikh... If there is any, then the Government of India is ready to remove it."

Shaheen Bagh protesters to visit Amit Shah’s residence

Meanwhile, in Delhi, a group of people at Shaheen Bagh, who have been protesting against the CAA and the proposed NRC over around two months now, on Saturday claimed that they would be going to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence on Sunday over the CAA and NRC.

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A large number of people have been staging a protest at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh since mid-December last year over the CAA, seeking its withdrawal. It’s being dubbed as the “people’s protest” because it has no leader or coordinator.

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However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that no meeting of the Union Home Minister with any person(s) over the CAA was scheduled for Sunday. "No such meeting is scheduled with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for tomorrow," said MHA in a statement.

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The development came two days after Home Minister Amit Shah said at an event that anyone having doubts over CAA could seek an appointment from his office and he would be willing to meet the person(s) within three days. The CAA grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian refugees who came from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh on or before December 31, 2014.

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(with ANI inputs)