CAA is not a law to hurt sentiments of any religion but to provide relief: Rajnath Singh

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 27, 2020: "CAA is not a law to hurt sentiments of any religion but to provide relief to victims of religious persecution", said Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressing CAA convention in Mangaluru on Monday, January 27, 2020. Over one lakh people have attended the program.

However, he went on to assert that the government will not touch anyone but if someone bothers the government, they won’t be able to live in peace. He also talked about the importance of National Register of Citizens (NRC) saying every country has the right to know the number of legal citizens and illegal immigrants living in it, and that there is no harm in implementing the NRC across the country.

Deliberating on several states refusing to implement the CAA, the defence minister said that it is a central law and everyone should follow it.

Accusing the Congress of misleading people on the issue, he said the party should not forget its duty towards the nation just because it is in opposition.

He defended the NDA government’s decision to revoke Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and said no power in the country or world can now stop Kashmiri Pandits from going back to their native place.

“No power can now stop Kashmiri Pandits from going back to Kashmir,” Rajnath Singh said while addressing an election rally in Mangaluru. He said in reference to the exodus of a large number of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the late 1990s at the height of militancy.

During his address, he also sent a strong message to Pakistan, saying India will not let anyone live in peace if it is harmed.

“We will not touch anyone, but if someone bothers us, we are not going to let them live in peace,” he added.

Talking about talks on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Rajnath said that the Parliament of India has already passed a resolution that it’s a part of India.

“People ask what will happen to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir? Parliament of India has already passed a resolution that it’s a part of India. I’ve said it earlier too, J&K’s work is done. If talks are held with Pakistan now, they will be on PoK only,” he said.

“Mahatma Gandhi had told Nehru to give citizenship to minorities like Hindus and Sikhs if they come to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled that vision by bringing in the law,” he added.

Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP State President and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Udupi MP Shobha Karandhlaje, district in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLAs Vedavyasa Kamath, Dr Bharath Shetty, Sanjeev Matandoor, Harish Poonja, Sanjay Prabhu and many other BJP leaders were present.