Asserting that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was to provide citizenship and not to snatch one, senior BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on
Sunday said the government was ready to talk with those who have apprehensions that they would be deprived of citizenship.Speaking on CAA at an event organised by the Chennai Citizen's
Forum here, she said those opposing the CAA should not create anxiety among the people by spreading falsehood.She said that none of the Muslims in the country would be affected
by the CAA. ''The CAA is not against the Muslims'', she added.
Reiterating that the CAA was an attempt to provide people a better life, she said the CAA was there since 1995 and there was no changes in the earlier Act in view of the Amendments brought last year. Referring to states like West Bengal stating that it would not implement
CAA, Ms Nirmala said it was against law.
''Even if resolutions were passed in the State Assemblies, it would not have any impact (on implementing CAA)'', she added. The CAA was to provide citizenship and not to snatch one, she said, adding,
''we are ready to hold discussions with those having apprehensions that they would be deprived of or lose their citizenship.''
Targetting the Opposition parties for opposing the CAA, Ms Nirmala said it was agonising to see the Sri Lankan and Bangladesh refugee camps. ''It will bring
tears''.
''Those talking against CAA, why are they not talking about the refugee camps. Those who did not talk about human rights are talking against the CAA'', she
sought to know.
''From 1964 to 2008 more than 4,00,000 Tamils (from Sri Lanka) have been given Indian citizenship'', she added.
She said 391 Afghanistani Muslims and 1,595 Pakistani migrants were given citizenship from 2016 to 2018. ''It was during this period in 2016, that Adnan
Sami was given citizenship, it's an example. Taslima Nasreen is another example.
This proves all allegations against us are wrong''. She said till 2014, 566 Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were
given citizenship. Ms Nirmala said in the last six years, 2,838 Pak refugees, 948 Afganistani and 172 Bangladeshi refugees were given Indian citizenship, which include Muslims
also.