In the middle of an ongoing nationwide protest of Citizenship (Amendment) Act ( CAA),2019, on Sunday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that around 2838 people from Pakistan were given citizenship in the period of last 6 years.
“In the last six years, as many as 2838 Pakistani refugees, 914 Afghan refugees, 172 Bangladesh refugees including Muslims have been given Indian Citizenship . from 1964 to 2008, more than 4,00,000 Tamils (from Sri Lanka) have been given Indian citizenship”, minister said at the event ‘Programme on Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019’.
She further said, “Till 2014, over 566 Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan were given Indian Citizenship. During 2016-2018 under Modi Government, around 1595 Pakistani migrants and 391 Afghanistani migrants were given Indian Citizenship”.
She also gave an example of Adnan Sami, who also got the Indian Citizenship and said that this also happened in that same period of 2016.
Nirmala Sitharaman also said that the people who came from East Pakistan, they have been settled in the various camps in the country.
She also mentioned, “They are still there and it’s been 50-60 years now. If you visit these camps, your heart will cry. The situation is the same with the Sri Lankan refugees who continue to live in camps. They are barred from getting basic facilities”.
The minister said that the government is not snatching away anyone’s citizenship. She also said, “this Citizenship Act is an attempt to provide people with a better life. We are not snatching away anyone’s Citizenship; we are only providing them that”.
She added, “The Nation Population Register (NPR) will be updated every 10years and I not involved with the National Register of Citizens (NRC)”. She said that there are some people who are involved in raising false allegations and without any base, they are triggering other people. ( Souce- Times Of India)
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