New Delhi: Amid the chaos prevailing in the country over the citizenship amendment act, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has given a surprising statement. The Union Minister on Saturday said that only those who will say "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" will stay in India, while he was addressing the 54th state conference of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

"Whether the sacrifice given by Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose will go waste? People have fought for freedom not because we have to count after 70 years who all are citizens. Whether we will make this country a Dharamshala?" asked Pradhan.

"Whosoever comes will stay here? We have to accept the challenges on this issue. We have to make this thought clear. In Bharat, it's mandatory to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', only such type of people will stay." he said.

He  lashed out at those opposing the National Register of Citizens, asking whether they wanted the country to become a "Dharam Shala" (an open house).

On the other hand on its 134th foundation day, the Congress party on Saturday protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.