CAA to be implemented before polls
In a bold declaration at the ET NOW Global Business Summit 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah foretold a landslide victory for the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Shah confidently stated that the BJP would secure a staggering 370 seats, while the NDA would command a formidable majority of over 400 seats, paving the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the government for a third consecutive term.
Addressing key issues such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Shah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the CAA before the polls.
“Our Muslim brothers are being misled and instigated (against the CAA). The CAA is only meant to give citizenship to those who came to India after facing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. It is not for snatching anyone’s Indian citizenship,” he said.
Regarding the UCC, Shah said it is a constitutional agenda, signed by the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and others.
“But the Congress had ignored it due to appeasement. The enforcement of the UCC in Uttarakhand is a social change. It will be discussed on all forums and face legal scrutiny. A secular country cannot have religion-based civil codes,” he said.
Shah’s remarks were not confined to electoral predictions and policy agendas; he also hinted at potential expansions of the NDA coalition. While coy about specific parties joining, Shah hinted at ongoing discussions, suggesting a willingness to welcome new members into the ruling alliance.
Responding to queries about Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, Shah launched a scathing critique, questioning Gandhi’s legitimacy to lead such initiatives given the Congress party’s historical role in partitioning India in 1947.