CAA doesn't alter India's secular credentials; opposition spreading 'misinformation': Puri

Union Minster Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act does not alter India's secular credentials and accused opposition parties of spreading "misinformation" on the new law. "As opposition parties mount an anti-govt campaign using CAA as the lightening rod to spread misinformation, inflame passions, mobilise forces inimical to India's interests & incite violence," he tweeted.

"CAA neither alters nor challenges rights of any Indian citizen, irrespective of religion, caste, creed, sect, ethnicity or race. The narrative that it threatens religious minorities in India is ignorance at best, & treacherous at worst," he said. Puri added that the opposition against the new citizenship law was riding on a false narrative.

"CAA does not mean that Muslims who are otherwise persecuted in these countries cannot apply for Indian citizenship - in fact, in the last five years, PM Modi's govt has granted citizenship to nearly 600 Muslims from these countries," he said.