Govt has enforced CAA without making rules: Yashwant Sinha
KOTA: Former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha, who is carrying out a ‘Gandhi Yatra’ in the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Union government’s policies, expressed his “disappointment” over the Supreme Court’s order on the petitions related to the CAA.
“It has been a disappointment that the SC did not stay the CAA, which the government has enforced from January 10 this year without making rules for the Act,” said Sinha at a press conference in Kota on Wednesday. His Gandhi Yatra reached Kota on Tuesday night.
He said he will not show documents if he is asked to prove his citizenship.
“Every act passed by Parliament or state assembly needs to have rules for its enforcement, but surprisingly Union government has not yet made rules for CAA and Bjp-ruled Uttar Pradesh has already started to implement CAA,” Sinha said.
“In such circumstances, it would have been apt if Supreme Court would have stayed CAA till formation of the rules and completion of hearing on CAA petitions,” he added.
He said if Supreme Court had stayed CAA, then normalcy would have been restored regarding the ongoing agitations against CAA in the country and people would have waited for the final verdict, but now there will be a wait for another 4-5 weeks. “CAA is not only unconstitutional, but also unnecessary and unjustified which has been made in haste,” he said.
He said there was already the citizenship act of 1955 through which 4,000 refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have been granted Indian citizenship.
“I t will be i mpossible t o enforce CAA on ground as the refugees of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will face difficulties in proving their religious persecution,” he said.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah are contradicting each other on CAA and NRC and PM Modi appears to be telling lies on the issue.
“Government brought CAA to divide society on Hindu-muslim issue and distract public attention from government’s failures on declining economy and GDP, unemployment, empty government treasury and other issues,” he alleged.
When asked about the difference between Atal Behari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi led union governments, Sinha said the two governments had day and night difference favouring the Vajpayee government.
When asked what should be the future course of action for the people if the Supreme Court does not quashes CAA, Sinha said, “People of the country are the ultimate authority, who will not let CAA implemented in the country.”
Sinha’s Gandhi Yatra started on January 9 from Mumbai’s Gateway of India and would conclude on January 30, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Re a c t i n g over Sinha’s remarks, former BJP MLA from Kota, Prahlad Gunjal said, “Yashwant Sinha has held high positions in the former Vajpayee government and his statements on CAA does not suit his stature.”
He said Sinha’s allegations holds no ground as CAA does not deprive citizenship to any citizen of the country and the Act intends to grant citizenship to only persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.