Piyush Goyal slams Cong over CAA, says 'minority population increased in India unlike Pak'

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday claimed that the percentage of minorities in Pakistan has reduced to 3% from the previous 23%, adding that it is a testimony of hardships being faced by them in the neighboring country. Piyush Goyal attending an event in Mumbai on Friday, which was organised in favour of the contentious amended Citizenship Act (CAA). Speaking in favour of CAA, the Union Minister held the Congress responsible for the partition of India. 

"Pakistan is an Islamic country. Congress is responsible for the division of India. Thousands of people came to India and we know in what condition they came here. The trains had only dead bodies. Earlier, Pakistan had 23% minorities and now it has reduced to just 3%," said Piyush Goyal.

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Emphasising on India's secularism, Piyush Goyal added that the percentage of minorities in India has only increased unlike in Pakistan because the country has protected them. "The opposition is confused or maybe they are doing all this with proper planning. In the next 10 days, we will reach to three crore people and spread awareness about CAA," said the Union Minister.

BJP's CAA push

BJP is planning a countrywide outreach program to clarify facts about the Citizenship Act and make its provisions clear among the masses. The BJP has decided to get its workers, to knock on each door and inform the people about the CAA, alleging the "lies" spread by the Opposition. 

As part of the BJP's programme to mobilise support for CAA, Amit Shah is likely to launch a toll-free number for people to give missed calls to register their endorsement of the law ahead of its 10-day mass contact drive from January 5. BJP general secretary Anil Jain told PTI that the toll-free number is expected to be released on Friday so that people can register their support for the CAA, which seeks to grant citizenship to minorities from three neighbouring countries who arrived in India by Dec 31, 2014, due to religious persecution.

Shah will also visit a household on Sunday, most likely in the national capital, to lead the party's 10-day campaign during which its leaders and workers will contact, the party has said, three crore families to rally support for the CAA. All leading faces of the party, ranging from Union ministers to organisational leaders, will be travelling to various parts of the country during January 5-15 for the drive, Jain said.

(with PTI inputs)

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