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by IANS |
Belur (West Bengal), Jan 12 (IANS) Seeking the help of the youth to spread awareness about the new citizenship law CAA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged some political parties were not ready to understand the legislation and continued to fuel misconception about the Act which provides citizenship and does not snatch it.
Speaking on the occasion of the 167th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda at the Belur Math -- global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Modi said youth and other citizens of the country are being misled on the CAA which came into force on Friday almost a month after Parliament passed the law on December 11.
"CAA is a law to provide citizenship, it does not snatch citizenship. The government is providing citizenship through the law, it is not taking back the citizenship of anyone," Modi said while addressing youth at Belur Math, founded by Swami Vivekananda.
Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary is celebrated as National Youth Day across the country.
"Some political are not ready to understand CAA, they are fuelling misconception," he said.
"What is there in this Act? Why was it needed? There are lot of questions in the minds of the people which has been fuelled by various people. Lot of youth have awareness. But yet there are some who are victims of misconception, rumours. It is our responsibility to make these people understand. It is our duty to satisfy them on this issue," Modi said.
The Prime Minister said that the CAA provides citizenship to those migrants who faced persecution in the name of religion in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"The people who believe in the constitution of India will be given citizenship on the basis of certain legalities."
He said the government is following the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, who supported citizenship for persecuted minorities.
The Prime Minister pointed out that his government's CAA initiative has compelled Pakistan to answer about persecution of minorities in their land.
"It's because of this (citizenship) law that people here have become aware of the kind of persecution the Hindus in Pakistan face. Pakistan is now answerable to us," he said.
Assuring people from North East India, he said the Act has special provisions for the region.
The Prime Minister's remarks related to CAA came in the backdrop of various violent demonstration in different cities across the country against the law which experts say is against the Muslim community.
He also appealed youth to clear misconception among people related to the CAA.
As per the law, migrants of six non-Muslim communities -- Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian -- who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 will be given citizenship.
