Govt which can abrogate Article 370 can also enforce CAA: Suvendu Adhikari

Under CAA, persecuted non-Muslim migrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan — who came to India before or on December 31, 2014, will be granted Indian citizenship.

New Delhi: The Citizenship Amendment Act will be implemented in West Bengal soon, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said on Monday, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, which can abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, can also enforce the CAA.

He was here in the national capital to meet Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Replying to questions, Adhikari said that the CAA was not part of the agenda of his meeting with the home minister.

“The CAA was passed by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Its implementation is due which will happen soon,” he said, adding, “The government, which can abrogate Article 370, can also enforce the CAA. It’s possible when Modi is there.”

Under the CAA brought in by the Narendra Modi government, Indian nationality will be granted to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who had come to India till December 31, 2014.

There were massive protests in some parts of the country after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and received the presidential assent subsequently.

Speaking to reporters, Adhikari, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, refused to share details of his meeting with the home minister.

“I won’t share what was discussed with the home minister. That you will see in the actions going to happen in the coming days… You will see the action and reaction of the discussion that took place and the roadmap (prepared),” he told reporters at the Parliament complex.