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'Deliberate disinformation' about CAA being induced in innocent minds: Singh

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Dec 23 2019 | 9:35 PM IST

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday said "deliberate disinformation" is being induced in the minds of innocent masses, leading to misgivings amongst certain sections of people about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Singh also said that any foreigner, including Muslim, can apply for Indian citizenship because there is no amendment in the clause related to applying in normal course by any foreigner for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act of 1955.

"Deliberate disinformation is sought to be induced in the minds of innocent masses, which has in turn led to needless misgivings amongst certain sections," he told reporters here.

Referring to the Citizenship Act of 1955, he said there is a provision for any foreigner living in any part of the world, regardless of his or her religion, to apply for Indian citizenship as long as he or she fulfils the eligibility criteria as per Section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

"It makes no difference whether a foreigner belongs to Italy or Pakistan, as far as the right to apply for Indian citizenship is concerned, subject to the eligibility criteria laid down in the Law," he said.

The minister for the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) pointed out that even during the last five-and-half-years of the Modi government, there have been instances when foreigners, including Muslims from Pakistan, were granted Indian citizenship in response to their applications.

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Singh alleged that even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi explanation about various aspects of the issue, the leaders of the Congress vehemently refuse to accept it.

He said regardless of whichever political party or ideology we subscribe to, as citizens of India it is expected of us to trust what the prime minister says.

There can be no cure or redemption for such motivated elements who refuse to trust their own democratically elected prime minister, he said.

Instead of raising finger or questioning the intention of their own government, the minister said the Congress leaders and their allies would have rather been expected to question the intention and conduct of the powers-that-be in Islamabad, who had blatantly backed out of the Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact of 1950.

It is a strange predicament, he said instead of questioning Pakistan for having backed out of its commitment given to India to safeguard the interests of the minorities in that country, the Congress leaders are questioning the government which has steadfastly stood by its commitment, not only because of the 1950 pact, but also due to the ethos of secularism and tolerance envisaged in the Indian Constitution.

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First Published: Dec 23 2019 | 9:35 PM IST

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