NEW DELHI: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday demanded an apology from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for suggesting a UN-monitored referendum on the amended citizenship law, which has sparked protests in the country.
“It is shocking that Mamata Banerjee is talking about referendum. Who is the UN body to monitor the referendum? This is an insult to the 130 crore people of the country and their mandate. Mamata should apologise,” Javadekar told reporters.
Addressing a rally in Kolkata on Thursday, Banerjee had dared the ruling BJP to go for a UN-monitored referendum on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
“If BJP has guts, it should go for a UN-monitored referendum on the amended Citizenship Act and NRC. If the BJP loses this mass vote, then it should step down from the government,” she had said.
Javadekar said some people were trying to create confusion over the new citizenship law.
“CAA is about inclusion and not exclusion. There are some people who are causing confusion and are talking in favour of illegal immigration. They are talking the language of Pakistan. We are trying to reach out to people with the right concepts,” he said.
He said the citizenship law was enacted for Hindus migrating from Pakistan for the first time in 2003 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister.
“It was continued by the UPA government in 2004 and 2005. That time nobody opposed it. The same people are now talking against it. People should not get misled and avoid violence,” the minister said.
When asked why Muslims have been excluded from the CAA, he said “three neighbouring countries, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are declared Islamic states”.
“All the three countries are declared Islamic states. You cannot imagine a religious persecution of somebody on the basis of religion in Islamic state. People living in Bangladesh and Pakistan were a part of India only, they are originally Indian citizens. India was divided,” he said.
The minister also assured that the NRC will be implemented very smoothly and no Indian citizen will be deprived of their citizenship.
“Everyone has Aadhaar. I can assure that whenever NRC happens, it will be so smooth and not a single Indian citizen will be deprived of his/her citizenship,” he said. (AGENCIES)
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