Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the INDI Alliance on Sunday, accusing them of failing to address the needs of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain refugees seeking citizenship in India. Shah made these comments while distributing citizenship certificates under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in Ahmedabad.
Shah asserted, “The CAA is not just about granting citizenship; it is about providing justice and rights to countless people. Due to the appeasement politics of Congress and its allies, refugees did not receive justice from 1947 to 2014. They were persecuted in neighboring countries for their religion and faced injustices in their own land as well. The INDI Alliance’s appeasement politics failed to deliver justice, but PM Modi has rectified this.”
He also remarked on the historical context of the partition of India, saying, “The partition led to riots and suffering for millions of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Congress had promised to grant these refugees Indian citizenship but did not follow through, opting instead to appease their vote bank.”
Shah emphasized that the BJP had committed to implementing the CAA upon coming to power in 2014. He acknowledged delays in granting citizenship due to misinformation but clarified that the CAA does not revoke anyone’s citizenship. “Some state governments are still misleading people. In my state alone, 128 families have received Indian citizenship. When Bangladesh was created, Hindus comprised 27 percent of the population, but now they make up only 9 percent due to religious persecution,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation for several development projects in Ahmedabad, including an Oxygen Park and a lake. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also attended the event. Shah urged Ahmedabad residents to support a campaign to plant 30 lakh trees in 100 days, emphasizing the importance of addressing environmental issues and combating global warming. He encouraged citizens to plant a tree in honor of their families, following PM Modi’s call for the ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ initiative.