'Citizenship Centre's Subject': Amit Shah On States Refusing To Implement CAA, Says Mamata Creating Fear

Amit Shah also responded to claim made by Asaduddin Owaisi that CAA is anti-Muslim saying there is no provision in this law to take anyone’s citizenship.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that granting citizenship is a subject of the Centre as states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal said that they would not implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in their states after the Modi government notified the rules of the law on Monday. 

"Article 11 of our Constitution gives all the powers to make rules regarding citizenship to the Parliament. This is a Centre's subject, not the state's…," Shah said in an interview with news agency ANI. 

"I think everyone will cooperate after the elections. They are spreading misinformation for appeasement politics…," he added. 

On being asked about All India Majlise-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi's remark that CAA is "anti-Muslim", Shah said, "What is his logic? There cannot be religious oppression of Muslims because Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are declared Islamic states…There is no provision for NRC in this law. There is no provision in this law to take anyone’s citizenship."

Responding to Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's assertion that CAA will take away citizenship said that she is creating fear. 

"...She is creating fear... Mamata Banerjee should not stop us from doing this, she should stop infiltration in her state," he said, adding: "Mamata Banerjee, there are thousands of platforms to do politics, but please do not harm the Bengali Hindus who have come from Bangladesh. You are a Bengali too... I openly challenge her to show me one section of this law that takes away anyone's citizenship. She is creating fear..." 

"Mamata Banerjee should not stop us from doing this, she should stop infiltration in her state. Infiltration has completely stopped in Assam because BJP is in power there...," he added. 

Under the CAA, the Modi government will grant citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014, and seek citizenship in India.