Amit Shah says Pakistan Occupied Kashmir is part of India. POK's Muslims and Hindus are our own, says Amit Shah. Amit Shah says CAA was always a part of BJP's agenda

Speaking at India Today Conclave 2024, Amit Shah reiterated the government's position that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir is a part of India and so are the people living there, be they Hindus or Muslims.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in his first remarks on the Citizenship Amendment Act since its implementation, said that both "Muslims and Hindus of Pakistan occupied Kashmir are our own".

The CAA, which was implemented on March 11 by the central government, will enable non-Muslim communities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in India.

Speaking at India Today Conclave 2024, Amit Shah reiterated the government's position that the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is a part of India.

"Wahan ke Muslims bhi hamare hain, wahan ke Hindus bhi hamare hain (both Muslims and Hindus of POK are ours)," Amit Shah said.

When asked why Muslims were not included in the CAA, Amit Shah said the three neighbours in question are Islamic countries.

"At the time of Independence, there were 23 per cent of Hindus in Pakistan. Today, they form just 2.7 per cent of the population. Where did they go? What happened to them? I will tell you...minor girls were forced into marriage for religious conversion, they faced atrocities. They took refuge in India to save the modesty of their mothers. Why should we not give them nationality?" Amit Shah asked.

"The three countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh) which we have included in the CAA are declared Islamic countries, so where will they (persecuted minorities) go," the Union Home Minister said.

Under the CAA rules, the persecuted minorities who entered the borders legally or illegally before December 31, 2014, and have stayed in the country for at least five years are eligible for Indian citizenship. The minorities include Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi immigrants from the aforesaid three neighbouring countries.

Amit Shah said that policies and "big decisions" like the CAA do not come into force by taking into account a couple of instances. He said that such policies are drafted to redress and find solutions to major problems.

"If any other communities like Baloch approach us in future, we will think about it. But why should we neglect the existing ordeal of persecuted people?" Amit Shah said.

The CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and implemented on March 11 this year.

Amit Shah also denied any link between the CAA notification and the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that the CAA had always been a part of the ruling BJP's agenda.

"India's promise since 1950 was not realised by Congress. But it was the BJP that fulfilled the promise (of CAA)," he said.

(With Agency Inputs)