Citizenship Amendment Act will preserve India's vast resources: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday that Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will preserve India's vast resources -- both natural and human.

Delivering keynote address on 'Border States and National Security' at an event organised by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) here, Singh said awareness needs to be generated about this aspect.

"Citizenship Amendment Act is going to preserve India's vast resources, both natural and human," Singh said, according to an official release.

The remarks of the minister, who is Minister for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State in PMO, have come amid concerns raised by the opposition over protests against the new law.

Leaders of several opposition parties had met President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday urging him to advise the government to withdraw the law.

Home Minister Amit Shah has ruled out the withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Act with the government repeatedly saying that the law does not affect any Indian citizen.

The CAA grants citizenship to non-Muslims of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution and arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.