Union Home Minister Amit Shah fiercely defended the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), refuting claims that the legislation was anti-Muslim and accusing the Opposition of spreading falsehoods. He emphasized that the CAA, which aims to provide citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, does not pose a threat to the rights of India’s Muslim population. Shah asserted that Muslims could still apply for Indian citizenship according to the Constitution, and the CAA is specifically for those who have faced religious persecution in the aforementioned countries.
Despite facing criticism and the prospect of protests, the Home Minister stated categorically that there would be no reconsideration of the CAA’s implementation, acknowledging it as an irreversible action by the BJP-led government. He also contended that the CAA was in line with the BJP’s 2019 manifesto and does not violate the country’s Constitution, particularly Article 14.
Addressing concerns over the law’s timing and intentions, Shah argued that it was simply fulfilling a long-standing agenda, and implementing it was delayed due to the Covid pandemic. He dismissed the Opposition’s stance as mere political posturing aimed at appeasement and consolidating their vote bank.
Shah also responded to accusations regarding the potential revocation of minority citizenship through the CAA and the fear-mongering surrounding the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Highlighting historical contexts such as the 2016 surgical strikes and the repeal of Article 370, he insisted on the need to take decisive action in response to terrorism and offer refuge to persecuted minorities as a moral imperative rooted in the nation’s partition history.
Various Muslim figures, including Dr Feroz Bakht Ahmed and Dr Imam Muer Ahmed Ilyasi, expressed support for the CAA, emphasizing that it does not affect the Indian Muslim community and is an expression of India’s tradition of sheltering the persecuted. They urged members of their community not to be swayed by misleading political narratives and to understand that the CAA caters to specific minority groups from neighboring Islamic countries.
Faheem Baig, another influential Muslim voice, remarked on the misinformation that led to disturbances in areas like north-east Delhi, and the failure on both the government’s part to convey the correct information and the Opposition’s success in spreading misconceptions. He and other Muslim influencers opined that the community would not be deceived by the political strategies of leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, or Asaduddin Owaisi, who they believe are jeopardizing their own political prospects with such tactics.