Asserting that there should be no discrimination in the country on the basis of religion, Shirom Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday reiterated his party's demand that Muslims should be including in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The CAA which was enacted on December 12 grants citizenship to non-Muslim minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghstan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. Since the enactment of the CAA, protests have erupted in various parts of the country including the national capital.
Speaking to media, Badal said, "I have said from the starting.. We said that each and every religion should be included (in the Citizenship Amendment Act). We have been fighting for Sikhs who came to India from the neighbouring countries from last 10-15 years but I had made it clear in the Parliament that there should not be any discrimination on the basis of religion. Every single religion should be included."
A few days back, the SAD had released a press statement and said Muslims from Pakistan, Afghstan and Bangladesh should not be excluded from the provision of the new law.
Moreover, during the debate on the CAB in Parliament on December 9, Badal had suggested that persecuted sects of Muslims should also be added to the legislation.
"Why don't we add names of Muslims? There are cases of Muslims being persecuted within their religion. I'll give you an example of the Ahmadiyya community in Punjab. Qadian is their headquarters. They're minority Muslims in Pakistan," Badal had said.
( With inputs from ANI )