"What will happen to people living in PoK...": DMK questions Amit Shah on CAA

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured persecuted refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to have faith in the Narendra Modi government and said that under the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), everyone will be given equal rights as they will now become citizens of India.

Amid the debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Thursday asked the Centre what will happen to those living in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) who want to come back to India as they are all Muslims. "Pakistan occupied Kashmir, which means the people living there are Indians. What will happen to those people who want to come back, they are all Muslims but aren't they Indians? If they are not Indians are you playing double games?" he said.

"It shows their hatred towards Muslims. All their activities are only to show that Muslims don't belong to this country. They don't apply their minds while bringing any bill, that's the problem," he added. Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also hit back at Amit Shah over his remarks on CAA and said that it was the Bharatiya Janata Party who always opposed the refugees.

"It (CAA) was passed in 2019, so were you waiting for the election to be announced? Secondly, their (refugees) number is up to 2.5 crores, that is, countries like Australia and Canada. India has a large population, unemployment is the highest in 40 years, and inflation is skyrocketing. After that, how will you give rights to these people who will come here? who will give them jobs?" he said. Further, he pointed out that Congress objects to the government using the boundary of religion in this law.

"The one who has been an Indian and now wants to come back should be welcomed here. By bringing up the topic of religion it proves that you want to polarize," Pramod Tiwari added. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured persecuted refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to have faith in the Narendra Modi government and said that under the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), everyone will be given equal rights as they will now become citizens of India.

"There are a lot of people, there is no count as of now. Due to the wrong campaign going on, many people will hesitate to file an application. I want to assure everyone to apply here and have faith in the Narendra Modi government that you will be given citizenship with retrospective effect. This law is accepting you as a refugee. If you have entered India illegally, there will be no criminal case against you...There is no need for anyone to get scared. Everyone will be given equal rights as they will become the citizens of India," Amit Shah said in an interview with ANI. (ANI)

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