CAA will be implemented after COVID vaccination ends: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday said the process of granting Indian citizenship to refugees under the CAA, including to the Matuacommunity of West Bengal, will begin once the process of COVIDvaccination has ended.

Accusing the opposition parties of misleading the minorities about the Citizenship (amendment) Act, he said itsimplementation will not impact the citizenship status of Indian minorities.

Shah said the Modi government had in 2018 promised it will bring in a new citizenship law and kept it when the BJPwas voted to power in 2019.

He said, after the country was hit by the COVID-19pandemic in 2020, its implementation had to be kept inabeyance.

''Mamata didi said we made a false promise. She started opposing the CAA and saying she will never allow it. The BJPalways fulfils the promises it makes. We have brought this lawand refugees will get citizenship.

''As soon as the COVID vaccination process ends the process of granting citizenship under CAA will begin,'' hesaid, addressing a rally here in the bastion of the Matuacommunity.

Matuas, originally from East Pakistan, are weaker section Hindus who migrated to India during the Partition and after the creation of Bangladesh. Many of them have been accorded Indian citizenship but a sizeable section of the population has not.

Shah said Banerjee will not be in a position to oppose the implementation of the CAA as she will cease to be thechief minister after the assembly polls likely in April-Maythis year.