CAA was dream of Mahatma Gandhi: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was a "dream of Mahatma Gandhi".

Speaking at a public meeting in support of the controversial legislation in his constituency Sankhalim on Wednesday, the chief minister also said that it would be "passed in the state Assembly".

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah took this historic decision (to get CAA passed). If you look at it, this was a dream of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi," Sawant said, without elaborating further.

"The Actwould be passed in the Goa legislative Assembly soon," he said.

While several non-BJP states have said that they oppose the amended Act, states do not have any role in either its passage or implementation, according to officials.

The opposition was carrying out a misleading campaign against the Act, Sawant said.

"A campaign is being carried out in the country to create fear in the minds of minorities. The CAA will not take away anyone's citizenship. The Muslim community should not be afraid," he said.

The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act provides for grant of citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians who migrated from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before 2015 due to persecution.

It has sparked off nation-wide protests. The Act's critics allege that it discriminates against Muslims and violates the principle of secularism.