Union Home Minister Amit Shah Criticizes Congress for Denying Citizenship Rights to Refugees

Ahmedabad, August 18 (HS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a gathering in Ahmedabad on Sunday, where he presented citizenship certificates to 188 Hindu refugees from Gujarat. During his speech, Shah criticized the previous Congress-led governments, accusing them of denying citizenship rights to a large number of refugees due to their appeasement policies.

Shah emphasized that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was enacted to provide justice and rights to lakhs of refugees who had been marginalized under previous regimes. He clarified that the CAA is designed to grant citizenship and does not contain any provisions for revoking anyone's existing citizenship, countering misconceptions about the Act.

The Home Minister further accused earlier governments of allowing millions of illegal immigrants to enter the country and obtain citizenship, while simultaneously denying lawful applicants their rightful status. He attributed this to the appeasement policies of Congress and its allies, which he claimed were responsible for the injustice faced by many refugees.

Shah also highlighted the situation in Bangladesh, noting that the Hindu population, which was 27% at the time of partition, has dwindled to just 9% due to forced religious conversions. He stressed the importance of the CAA in addressing such historical wrongs and protecting persecuted minorities.

The event marked a significant moment in the government's ongoing efforts to implement the CAA and address the grievances of refugees who have long been denied their rightful place in the country.