'CAA won't affect citizenship of any Muslim,' says Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday addressed a rally at Bhubaneshwar and assured that citizenship of any member of the Muslim community or any other member of the minority community will not be affected by the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and stated that the law gives citizenship and does not take it away. 

"BSP, SP, Communist, Congress, and Mamata are against the CAA because they say minorities will lose their citizenship. Why do they speak so many lies? I repeat that citizenship of any Muslim or minority (community member) will not be taken away through CAA, because it is an Act to give citizenship and not to take it away," Shah said.

"The Opposition is spreading rumours, provoking people and instigating riots," he added. These were the Home Minister's first remarks since the North-East Delhi riots. 

READ | Mamata Banerjee shares a meal with Shah, Patnaik in Odisha; 'no CAA talks' held

Mamata Banerjee Raises Delhi Violence Issue

During the 24th Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Odisha, the West Bengal CM also raised the Delhi violence issue with the Home Minister.

Speaking to the media about the discussion in the EZC meeting, Mamata expressed sadness over the ongoing Delhi violence and said that there is an urgent need to restore normalcy in Delhi. She also addressed the need to help the victims and affected families. 

The West Bengal Chief Minister noted that several people, including one police constable and an IB staffer, were killed in the violence. She also requested the government to ensure that peace and harmony prevail in the country.

READ | Lunch Diplomacy: Mamata Benerjee raises Delhi violence issue at EZC meet with Amit Shah

Mamata-Shah share a meal

Earlier in the day, amid the ongoing  24th Eastern Zonal Council Meet, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter to share a rare photo of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Home Minister Amit Shah sharing a meal. Patnaik also shared photos of the meeting which comprised of CMs from Bihar, Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand were centred on inter-State water dispute, power transmission, coal royalty, forest clearance for railway and other infrastructure projects and extension of banking and telecom services in rural pockets. Banerjee has clarified that no talks on CAA-NRC-NPR were held with Shah as it was not on the agenda.

READ | Amit Shah attacks Mamata Banerjee in a pro-CAA rally, hours after sharing a meal with her

READ | Home Minister Amit Shah says Opposition spreading fake news, instigating riots over CAA

(With ANI inputs)