CAA implementation after vaccination: Shah

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 11

Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday put off the implementation of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) for the time being and announced that the Act would be notified after the vaccination drive against Covid-19 was over.

Shah, who is on a tour of West Bengal to drum up support for the BJP for the impending Assembly elections, was speaking at a meeting at Thakurnagar, considered Mecca of the numerically strong refugees of the Matua caste from across the border.

Shah said in the “auspicious venue” associated with Matua leaders Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur, he would like to assure people that the CAA would be implemented after the vaccination drive was over.

Shah said in 2018, the BJP had promised that the existing law on citizenship would be amended to accord the status of citizenship to people from neighbouring countries who sought refuge in India because of religious persecution.

People belonging to the Matua caste, a large number of whom had come to India from Bangladesh after the partition, rewarded the BJP by voting for the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha General Election. The CAA was passed later that year, Shah said.

Importantly, delay in the execution of CAA, which attracted widespread protests in many areas, is making the Matuas suspicious with regard to the BJP government’s intention.

Shah alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee was behind the propaganda that CAA was devised by the BJP to take the Matuas for a ride.

The Union Hiome Minister said even people, who came over to India from across the border 70 years back, had not been accorded citizenship yet. The CAA would give respect and citizenship to all those refugees, he said.

Shah added that Muslims had nothing to fear from the law as it was not designed to rob anyone of citizenship.

Announcing a series of shops for Matuas, Shah said if the BJP came to power in West Bengal, it would arrange pension for Matua elders. Graduate and postgraduate Matua students would get scholarships. The local railway station would be named Sridham Thakurnagar Station to underscore the area’s religious importance. A scheme under the name of “Mukhyamantri Saranarthi Yojna” would be set up for the benefit of refugees, Shah said.

Earlier in the day, while addressing a rally at Cooch Behar in northern part of West Bengal, Shah said if the BJP formed the government in the state, it would promote the culture of the Koch-Rajbangshi people living in the area in a big way.

Shah also announced that a paramilitary training centre of the Home Ministry would be named after Chilarai, the legendary 16th century Koch general.

Quote

Opposition misleading minorities on CAA, it will not impact the citizenship status of Indian minorities, Amit Shah, home minister