CAA not to take away anyone's citizenship: Kaushik

Uttarakhand'sUrban Development Minister Madan Kaushik on Friday saidthe Citizenship Amendment Act is meant to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Muslim majority countries of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan seeking sanctuary in India and not to snatch anyone's citizenship.

Addressing a press conference here to clear the air over CAA, Kaushik, who is also the state government's official spokesman, accused opposition parties including the Congressofmisleading people by saying this law will snatchcitizenship of Muslims in India.

Terming Congress's interpretation of the law as "impractical", the minister said the CAA was in no way related to the National Register of Citizens.

He said though the Congress is opposing the CAA at present it was the initiator of the law.

On a number of occasions while in power, the Congress had supported the rights of minorities living in Muslim majority countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Kaushik's press conference here was part of the party's programme to counter the opposition's campaign on CAA and NRC.

State BJP leaders will hold a series of press conferences at different places in Uttarakhand over the next few days to explain the intent behind the amended Citizenship Act.