CAA does not strip any Indian of citizenship: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act does not take away the citizenship of any Indian, and took a swipe at former ally Shiv Sena for its 'silence' on the issue.

Addressing a rally organized by 'Sanvidan Sanman Manch' at the historic August Kranti Maidan here in support of the CAA, he said it is not a "law", but a process for giving citizenship to those who were displaced from the neighbouring countries.

"The Congress and communists are spreading misinformation about CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens)," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.


"I am surprised that our old friends are quiet. They used to say once that illegal Bangladeshis should be thrown out, but now they are quiet," he said, in a dig at the Shiv Sena which now heads the ruling coalition which includes the Congress and the NCP.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly also slammed the state government for denying permission for a march from August Kranti Maidan to Lokmanya Tilak's statue at Girgaon beach.

"Has this government lost its head?" he asked, invoking the heading of a famous editorial penned by the nationalist leader during British rule.

"Nobody can stop us from supporting the Act until the protest against it stops," he said.

Congress, communists and other opposition parties were trying to create misunderstanding among Indian Muslims about the Act and create unrest in the country for "vote bank politics", he alleged.

"Pakistan did not fulfill the assurance given at the time of Partition that its minorities will be protected. Hence India has to look after them because they are our people," said Fadanvis.

He also objected to alleged slogans aginst Hindus and Veer Savarkar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi during protests against the CAA.

Talking to reporters before addressing the rally, Fadnavis said the leaders who are saying that the Act will not be implemented in their states "do not respect the Constitution", as laws passed by Parliament are binding on all states.