New Delhi: India on Friday slammed the United States’ remarks on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), terming it is as ‘misplaced, misinformed and unwarranted.’
“As you are well aware, the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 is an internal matter of India and is in keeping with India’s inclusive traditions and a long-standing commitment to human rights,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a press briefing.
The United States had said on Thursday it was concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in India and was closely monitoring its implementation.
The MEA spokesperson said the CAA is about giving citizenship, not about taking away citizenship, and addresses the issue of statelessness, provides human dignity and supports human rights.
“India’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all its citizens. There are no grounds for any concern or treatment of minorities. Vote bank politics should not determine views about a laudable initiative to help those in distress,” Jaiswal said.
He went on to state that the US, which has a limited understanding of India’s pluralistic traditions and the region’s post-partition history, should not give any lecture.
“Partners and well-wishers of India should welcome the intent with which this step has been taken,” he said.
Four years after it was cleared by Parliament, the Central government notified CAA on Monday, ahead of the general elections.
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