Cong confusing CAA with NRC to mislead minorities: BJP

Calling the opposition "irresponsible" and "childish", the BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of misleading the minorities by confusing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act with National Register of Citizens.

Describing 2019 as a landmark year during which the BJP and its government at the Centre had made many achievements, Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt said the CAA was among the historic steps taken by the party during the year.

"The CAA has nothing to do with NRC. The opposition party is irresponsible and childish. It is clubbing the two in a bid to confuse the minorities," he told reporters.

"The shrinking population of religious minorities in Pakistan is an indication that they are a harassed lot whereas in India the size of the minority population has grown manifold since Independence indicating that they are safe here," he said.

Asserting that the CAA would not take away the citizenship rights of anyone, Bhatt said the Congress was only spreading lies about it.

"The CAA is meant to give citizenship to the religious minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have sought refuge in India due to their persecution in their own land," Bhatt said.

"It is in keeping with the central philosophy of Hinduism of treating all religions equally. Opposition is asking why Muslims were left out of CAA. Does it want to invite the Muslim majorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to come and live in this country?" he asked.

"The Congress should stop its misinformation campaign on the CAA," he said.