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.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
