Nobody can dare touch any Indian Muslim, says Rajnath on apprehensions about CAA-NRC-NPR

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that no one can dare touch any Indian Muslim, as he sought to dispel apprehensions that the community will be targeted if NPR and NRC are bought in, and cautioned the people against forces which were trying to "create a divide" on religious lines over the CAA.

Addressing a rally in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Shatabdi Nagar here, the BJP leader said religious minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh were living a "life of misery" and India has fulfilled its "moral duty" by enacting the CAA.

He also questioned those opposing the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), stressing that they were mooted much before the BJP government was formed, and rejected claims that Muslims will be "banished" under these exercises.

"There has been no discussion on NRC. But, suppose a country wants to create a national register of citizens, why should there be an objection to it. Shouldn't there be a document for people to seek benefits of government schemes," he asked the crowd.

"... But they say you are making NPR register and then you will bring NRC and banish all Muslims. I want to tell Muslims present here that nobody can dare touch any Muslim who is an Indian citizen. I want to assure you. If anyone has any complaint they can come to us... we will stand with that Muslim citizen," the minister said.

Singh said India was partitioned on the basis of religion and even Mahatma Gandhi wanted that Indian government should be sensitive towards minorities of neighbouring countries if they face religious persecution there. He had said such people should be given citizenship.

"We have done what Gandhiji had said (by bringing CAA). Did we commit a crime?"
"They are trying to defame our party as if we are discriminating on the basis of religion. Only the people can given a befitting response to them and you are doing it."
"We (India) said we would not discriminate among religions. Why did we do that? Our neighbouring country has declared that their state has a religion. They have declared themselves a theocratic state. We didn't declare so."