New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Tuesday, challenged opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati, to participate in a discussion with him on the Citizenship Amendment Act in public forum.

Shah was addressing a public rally in Lucknow, in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the Ram Katha Park in Bangla Bazaar area of the state capital.

This is the third pro-CAA rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh. Similar rallies have been held in Varanasi on January 18 and in Gorakhpur on January 19.

Also Read: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav's Daughter Joins Anti-CAA Protest

Shah reiterated that there is no provision of taking anyone’s citizenship in the Act. He slammed the parties opposing the amendment act and said that canards are being spread against the act by the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Trinamool Congress.

Attacking the Congress, he said that India got partitioned into two because of Congress.

Also Read: West Bengal To Pass Resolution Against CAA, Says Mamata Banerjee

“Modi government realised the pain of those people who face religious persecution and decided to help them,” Shah said.

A pro-CAA rally will be held on Wednesday in Meerut which will be addressed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will address a rally in Kanpur on Thursday.

Newly elected BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda is also scheduled to address a rally in Agra on Thursday.