The final draft of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is expected to be ready by March 30 next year, Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra said while also asserting that nobody can snatch citizenship rights from Matuas who held religious persecution in Bangladesh. The Minister’s remarks came while addressing a gathering of the Matua community at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal on Sunday (November 26).
"The process to roll out CAA has gained momentum in the last couple of years... some issues are being sorted out. Nobody can snatch citizenship rights from the Matuas. By March next year, the final draft of the CAA is expected to be ready for coming into force," he said.
The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan entering India before December 31, 2014. The passage of the Bill in the Parliament had triggered protests in several parts of the country including in Delhi.
TMC reacts sharply
Reacting to the Union Minister’s claim, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen said that the BJP remembers Matuas and the CAA only during elections.
“The saffron party will never be able to roll out CAA in West Bengal,” he said.
"The BJP's false claims are becoming clear to the Matuas and others. The saffron party will be rejected by all in next year's elections," Sen claimed.
Sen claimed that the Trinamool Congress has ensured the rights of Matuas as citizens of the country.
"We will continue to work for the community throughout the year, unlike the BJP who will only give false promises," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
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