Goa Chief Minister on tweet spree, defends CAA

In a series of tweets, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday expressed his support for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), while also accusing the Opposition of spreading lies vis-a-vis the legislation which has triggered sustained protests throughout the country.

Sawant also said that all Indian citizens across religions had nothing to fear from the CAA, while also adding that the Opposition was falsely spreading an illusion that the CAA was designed to target Muslims and aimed at taking away their citizenship.

"The CAA has been enacted through a democratic process and gives citizenship to refugees who have had centuries of cultural affinity with Indian ethos. Indian citizens belonging to any religion need not worry at all, either about CAA or NRC (National Register of Citizens)," Sawant said.

"The Opposition is spreading illusions for vote bank politics. It is being propagated among Muslims that CAA is a law to take away their citizenship. This is nothing but a desperate attempt by the Opposition to spread fear among Muslims," Sawant also said in his series of tweets on Monday.

"CAA categorically addresses concerns of minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Members of the majority community in these countries who want to apply for Indian citizenship will still be able to, as per the existing provisions of Indian citizenship," he added.

The tweets come two days after the Congress in Goa held a rally in Panaji opposing the CAA.

Earlier this month, Sawant had said that the NRC may "not be required" at all in Goa. The day after, however, he said would not comment on the issue until a formal NRC notification is issued by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.IANS