Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Central government will start granting citizenship to refugees under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) after the COVID-19 vaccination drive ends.

Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Thakurnagar, Shah said, “As soon as vaccination drive will conclude and we become Corona-free, the work of providing citizenship will be undertaken. CAA is Parliament's law, how can you stop it? Also, you will not be in a position to stop it.”

Accusing the opposition parties of misleading the minorities about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he said its implementation will not impact the citizenship status of Indian minorities.

Shah said the Modi government had in 2018 promised it will bring in new citizenship law and kept it when the BJP was voted to power in 2019. He said, after the country was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, its implementation had to be kept in abeyance.

Earlier today, he flagged off BJP's fourth 'Poribortan Yatra' from Cooch Behar and said that BJP government will free Bengal of infiltrators once it comes to power.

Shah launched a scathing attack at Mamata Banerjee and said that by the time the election ends, she will also chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

“If slogans of Jai Shri Ram are not raised here, will it be raised in Pakistan?” Shah asked.

BJP has increased the political activity in poll-bound Assam and West Bengal and with senior leaders regularly visiting the states. On February 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited both states and launched many development projects there.

(With inputs from Agencies)

(Edited by : Aditi Gautam)

First Published:Feb 11, 2021 7:45 PM IST