Muslims have 150 countries to live, Hindus only have India: Gujarat CM

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Tuesday that contrary to Muslims – who, in his opinion, can choose any one of the 150 Islamic countries in the world to live in – India is the only country for Hindus.

While addressing a rally in support of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the BJP stalwart slammed the opposition Congress for opposing the new law that grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have migrated till December 31, 2014.

He accused the Congress of not honoring the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh on the issue. “There were 22 percent Hindus in Pakistan at the time of Partition (in 1947). Now, their population has reduced to just 3 percent,” he said, adding that Hindus want to come back to India. “We are doing what the Congress was supposed to do to help these distressed Hindus. And when we are doing it now, you are opposing it.”

He said the Hindu population has shrunk to just 2 percent in Bangladesh. “Out of 2 lakh Hindu and Sikh residents in Afghanistan some decades back, their number is just 500 today. Muslims can go to any of the 150 countries, but India is the only country for the Hindus [if they want to come back],” said Rupani.

“Gandhi was also of the opinion that India should grant citizenship to Hindus and Sikhs of Pakistan. Even Manmohan Singh had supported such a proposal when he was the PM (under Congress rule). Congress must explain to the nation why the party is opposing the CAA now,” said Rupani.

Without taking names, Rupani also targetted Dalit leaders and outfits opposing the new citizenship law. “There are 10,000 refugees from these countries living in Gujarat. Most of them who are living in Kutch are Dalits, like Maheshwari and Meghwal communities. “Dalit leaders need to explain why they are not in favor of granting citizenship to these Dalit refugees. By opposing the CAA, these Dalit leaders have been exposed,” said Rupani.

The BJP leader further said it was “misfortune of India” to have parties and leaders like the “Congress, the Communists and (West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee”. He accused them of “inciting” Muslims and other people to fulfill “their own political agenda and destabilise the government”.