'If Raj govt opposes, responsibility to grant citizenship will be given to I-T, customs officials'

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday said if the Rajasthan government does not give the right to grant citizenship under the new law to the district collectors, then the Centre will hand over this responsibility to the officials of Income Tax and Customs.

The Union Jal Shakti Minister said this while addressing the BJP rally here in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"The governments of Rajasthan, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh say that the Citizenship Amendment Act will not be implemented. They say that citizenship will be given by the collectors who work under the state government," he said.

Shekhawat said the authority to grant citizenship is not with the Collectors but with the Government of India.

"The day the government of Rajasthan will try to stop, the responsibility will be given to Income Tax and Customs officials to set up camps and provide citizenship."