Half of Bangladesh will be empty if Indian citizenship offered: Union Minister

Defending the contentious amended Citizenship Law (CAA) Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday (February 9) said, if Indian citizenship was promised to Bangladeshis, half of Bangladesh’s population will leave that country.

“Half of Bangladeshis will come over to India if citizenship is promised (to them). Who will take responsibility? KCR? or Rahul Gandhi?” he asked.

Speaking at Santh Ravidas jayanti celebrations in Hyderabad, Reddy dared Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to prove in what way CAA was against the 130 crore population of India.

“They seek citizenship for infiltrators. The Government of India is ready to review the CAA if it has one word against any one of the 130 crore citizens, but not for Pakistani or Bangladeshi Muslims,” Reddy said.

Related news: Pinarayi gives Modi ammo on CAA, pins hopes on finance dues

Noting that CAA was brought in on humanitarian grounds for certain persecuted communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, he said some political parties were demanding that citizenship be given to Muslims of those countries also.

Taking a dig at TRS and Asaduddin Owaisi lead AIMIM, Reddy alleged that the former was indulging in vote bank politics.

“I am requesting the TRS party. I am requesting the Chief Minister (KCR). I am challenging the Chief Minister to prove if any one person out of 130 crore citizens of this country were affected by the Citizenship Amendment Act,” the Union Minister of State for Home said.

Asserting that refugees and infiltrators should not be treated alike, he claimed that parties such as Congress were seeking citizenship for infiltrators, who came from Bangladesh
and Pakistan.

According to him, some refugees have been staying in India for the past 40 years without any facilities and documents such as voter id, Aadhar or ration card.

(With inputs from agencies.)