PM Modi's decision right, says Smriti Irani defending CAA amid criticism

Amid protests and criticism from opposition parties, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that the decision to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government was 'correct', claiming that the entire nation supports it.

"People belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities from countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh will be granted citizenship, a pledge fulfilled by PM Modi," she said while talking to the media in West Bengal's Bardhaman on Tuesday.

"Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal Chief Minister) will try to instigate a few communities for a vote bank but the whole of India knows this decision of PM Modi is right," Smriti Irani said.

These remarks come a day after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee criticized the Modi government over the CAA notification, alleging that that this was metely an election gimmick and that anyone applying for citizenship under CAA would be labeled as "illegal migrants."

"Central Government implemented CAA yesterday, I am doubtful of its legality. There is no clarity from the government over this. This is just a gimmick ahead of the elections. In 2019, the names of 1.3 million Hindu Bengalis, out of a total of 1.9 million, were removed from the list in Assam in the name of NRC. Several people died by suicide," Mamata Banerjee had said.

CM Banerjee said that CAA was linked to NRC and those who apply for CAA will immediately be considered illegal migrants, although they are citizens of the country.

She further said that the BJP feels that they have hit a sixer but it's a duck.

"If even one person gets it right, I will be happy. I will give protection to everyone. Do you know how many churches have been burnt in Manipur? Where were the BJP leaders when women were paraded naked in Manipur? Tell the truth, didn't you have Aadhaar cards? Do you have land and shops? The moment you apply for CAA, you become illegal," she said.

On March 11, the Union Home Ministry notified the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule.

The CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants--including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians--who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.