Amidst widespread demonstrations opposing the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 by the Central Government, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal articulated that the legislation was crafted “not to strip away citizenship but to confer it upon those subjected to religious persecution.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs, on March 11, unveiled the guidelines for the CAA, a legislation passed by the Parliament four years ago, granting Indian citizenship to migrant families of non-Muslim faiths.
Following the promulgation of the CAA guidelines, protests have persisted in various regions, notably the North-Eastern states.
Engaging in a candid discourse with ETV Bharat during his sojourn in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal underscored, “It is imperative to grasp that this statute is not aimed at depriving anyone of citizenship but rather conferring it upon those who have endured religious persecution.”
Addressing opposition criticism concerning the exclusionary nature of the term “non-Muslim” in the CAA, the Union Law Minister retorted, “The essence of this legislation is to extend citizenship to individuals persecuted on religious grounds. Politicizing this issue is unwarranted.”
Responding to Rahul Kaswan’s departure from the BJP to join the Congress party following his purported denial of a Lok Sabha ticket, the Union Law Minister rebuffed allegations of feudalism prevailing within the BJP, asserting, “Rahul Kaswan, his progenitors, and himself have long been stalwarts of this party. It is misguided to make such assertions.”
Notably, Rahul Kaswan has been nominated as the Congress candidate for the Churu constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections subsequent to his defection.
During his excursion to Bikaner, Meghwal extolled the developmental initiatives spearheaded by the Central Government in the city. “Over the past five years, Bikaner has been graced by the visits of the Prime Minister, the President, and most recently, the Chief Justice of India,” he remarked.
The Union Law Minister emphasized that his foremost objective is to address the pervasive issue of railway crossings in Bikaner within the next five years.