Youth being misguided by rumours about CAA, says PM

Howrah (West Bengal) [India], Jan 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Sunday that some youth have fallen to the rumours about Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
"The youth of the country have been filled with a lot of questions about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act by different people. A lot of youngsters are aware, but there are some who have fallen to the rumours," said Prime Minister said while addressing people at Belur Math.
His remarks came at times when students of universities like Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University etc are protesting against the new Citizenship law.
He also accused the Opposition of playing political games over the amended Citizenship law and said Pakistan will now have to answer why it committed atrocities on minorities.
Modi reiterated that CAA is aimed at giving citizenship and not revoking it.
"I repeat again, Citizenship act is not to revoke anyone's citizenship, but it is to give citizenship. After independence, Mahatma Gandhi ji and other big leaders of the time all believed that India should give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan," said Modi.
"You understood this very clearly. But those playing political games purposely refuse to understand. People are being misled over the CAA," he added.
Attacking Pakistan for committing atrocities on minorities, Modi said: "India's youth is raising voice against atrocities being committed on minorities in Pakistan. Had this issue not been raised, the world would not have known about this. This is the result of our initiative that Pakistan will now have to answer why it committed atrocities on minorities over the last 70 years."
The Prime Minister said that the Centre has made provisions to protect the identity, demography, and culture of the North-East.
"North-East is our pride. CAA will not have any adverse effect on their demography, identity and culture. The Central government has made provisions for this," he said.
CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. (ANI)