Ravi Shastri backs the govt over CAA, says 'sure they have thought about it properly'

Ravi Shastri has come out in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act amid the controversies it is currently embroiled in. The Team Indian Head Coach backed the government for introducing the act in the Parliament, adding that he was only talking as an Indian. Though the former Team India all-rounder refused to get into the specifics of the ‘fear’ for a section of the society, he said one needs to be patient for its benefits. 

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Ravi Shastri spoke about the  CAA in an interview with a news channel. He said that he representated India as a player from age 18 in a team where players belonged to various castes and creeds. Shastri added one needed to only ‘think Indian.’ 

Amid the criticism the government is receiving and the protests against CAA, Shastri defended the government, saying it had thought about it ‘properly.’ Asserting that he was speaking as an ‘Indian’ and not as a person of a particular religion, he said the act needed some ‘tweaks’, but the decisions will be taken for the ‘benefit’ of the citizens. Shastri added that playing for India made him more aware of being an ‘Indian’ and that’s why he has the right to speak about CAA as an ‘Indian.’ 

When asked about the ‘fear’ over the  difficulties for some religions, Ravi Shastri said he has not gone into that ‘deeply’. However, he said one just needed to be patient and the citizens will be able to enjoy the benefits of it. 

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Earlier, Team Indian Captain Virat Kohli had refused to get into the discussion on CAA, citing his lack of knowledge.  

"On the issue, I do not want to be irresponsible and speak on something that has, you know, radical opinions both sides. I need to have total information, total knowledge of what it means and what is going on and then be responsible to give my opinion on it," he had said. 

The CAA gives Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who entered India over religious persecution, the right to apply for Indian citizenship. The exclusion of Muslims in this category has drawn immense criticism from various quarters. 

READ: SC Questions Rationale Of CAA Related Petition, Says 'endeavour Must Be To Bring Peace'