Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred Indian citizenship to 188 Pakistani Hindus in a camp in Ahmedabad on Sunday, making it the first such conferring of citizenship in Gujarat under the newly enacted Citizenship Amendment Act. This was major relief to these persons who had sought refuge in India to escape religious persecution in that country.
Amit Shah reiterated that the government is now going to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities like Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs from neighboring countries. The Minister also hit out at the Congress-led INDIA bloc for its appeasement politics.
Shah said, "I congratulate these families who got citizenship. I am even happier that this is happening in Gujarat. CAA is an initiative to give people their rights and justice. The Congress party never gave people their rights until 2014. Lakhs and crores of people kept waiting for their rights, but they never got justice under the INDIA bloc."
Under the CAA, the Gujarat government has granted Indian citizenship to 1,167 persons in Ahmedabad district so far.
Providing historical context, Shah mentioned, "Crores of Indians cannot forget the issues faced by people during Partition based on religion. Congress did not give citizenship to our people to appease their vote bank. Our history will always remember this. What was the fault of these people who left their property and came here to save their daughters and wives? The law is to safeguard these people. Crores of Hindus, Jain, and Sikh will get justice through this law."
He said, addressing concerns amongst the Muslim community, "I want to make it clear for my Muslim brothers and sisters that this is not to take anyone’s citizenship but to give them citizenship. Earlier, many people were provoked against this law. No one will have to give up their citizenship. Some people just want to mislead the larger public. Your jobs, house, and citizenship are safe. This law is only to give you justice."
Along with the ceremony of citizenship, Amit Shah laid foundation stones/inaugurated development projects worth nearly Rs 1,000 crore in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. He inaugurated the Oxygen Park of the AMC in Bodakdev and called upon citizens to join a pan-India tree plantation drive for the protection of the environment.
Shah applauded AMC's aims to plant 30 lakh trees within 100 days, stating that it was imperative to protect the environment. "I request the citizens of Ahmedabad to join AMC in sowing 30 lakh saplings in the coming 100 days. This is an initiative by AMC. Ahmedabad people should also plant saplings in society and schools and take care of low carbon emissions. We need to increase more oxygen; it is our collective responsibility."
He also contributed to the global challenge of the environment by saying, "Global warming is a threat to human life today. 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is an initiative by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and we should follow it. We should raise a plant like our child."
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