CAA final draft likely to be ready by March 30 next year, says Union minister Ajay Mishra

Kolkata: Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni on Sunday said that the final draft of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA is expected to be ready by March 30 next year.

The BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, while addressing a gathering of the Matua community at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district, asserted that nobody can snatch citizenship rights from Matuas, who had fled religious persecution in Bangladesh.

"The process to roll out CAA has gained momentum in the last couple of years... some issues are being sorted out. Nobody can snatch citizenship rights from the Matuas. By March next year, the final draft of the CAA is expected to be ready for coming into force," he said to a thundering applause. Local BJP MP and Union minister Santanu Thakur was by his side.

The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan entering India before December 31, 2014.

Reacting to the claim, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen said, "The BJP remembers Matuas and the CAA only during elections. The saffron party will never be able to roll out CAA in West Bengal."

"The BJP's false claims are becoming clear to the Matuas and others. The saffron party will be rejected by all in next year's elections," he said.

Sen said that the Trinamool Congress has ensured the rights of Matuas as citizens of the country.

'We will continue to work for the community throughout the year, unlike the BJP will only gives false promises,' he added.