Govt won't rest until Pak refugees made Indian citizens: Amit Shah
Jabalpur, Jan 12: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said however much the Congress opposes the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the government "will not rest" until all the refugees from minority communities from Pakistan are given Indian citizenship.
He once again challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to show him any provision in the new legislation that will snatch the citizenship of any citizen in the country.
"I am saying it loudly. You Congress leaders, listen carefully...Oppose it as much as you can, but we will rest only after giving citizenship to all these people. No one can stop us from doing so.
"Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Christian refugees from Pakistan have as much right over India as you and I have. They are the sons and daughters of India. The country will embrace them," Shah said while addressing a public meeting here in support of the new citizenship law.
His statements come a day after the Congress demanded immediate withdrawal of the CAA and stopping the process of National Population Register (NPR), accusing the government of using brute majority to impose its "divisive" and "discriminatory" agenda.
As per the gazette notification issued by the Centre on Friday, the CAA, under which non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, will be given Indian citizenship, came into force from January 10.
Shah also accused Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of misguiding people over the CAA.
"I challenge Rahul Baba and Mamata Banerjee, tell me if there is any single provision in CAA that is meant for snatching anybody's citizenship," he said.
"There is no provision for taking away anyone's citizenship. The Act in fact is meant for giving citizenship," the minister said.
During the last Assembly elections in Rajasthan, the Congress had promised in its poll manifesto that Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan would be given Indian citizenship.
"But now they are opposing the BJP...(Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok) Gehlotji, check your manifesto," he said.
Referring to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Shah said, "Some boys raised anti-national slogans like 'Bharat tere tukde honge ek hazar, inshallah, inshallah'. But Rahul Baba and Kejriwal are saying- Save them...Are they your cousins? Such people deserve to be put behind bars."
The BJP chief also said that Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya in four months.
"The complex would be so high that it would touch the sky," Shah said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
