'2838 Pakistanis, 914 Afghans, 172 Bangladeshis given Indian citizenship in last 6 years'

Amid ongoing nationwide protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, she said that as many as 2838 people from Pakistan were given citizenship during the last six years.

"In the last six years, as many as 2838 Pakistani refugees, 914 Afghanistani refugees, 172 Bangladeshi refugees including Muslims have been given Indian citizenship. From 1964 to 2008, more than 4,00,000 Tamils (from Sri Lanka) have been given Indian citizenship," Sitharaman said at 'Programme on Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019' event here.

She added, "Till 2014, over 566 Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were given Indian citizenship. During 2016-18 under Modi government, around 1595 Pakistani migrants and 391 Afghanistani Muslims were given Indian citizenship."

The minister, further, said, "It was also during the same period in 2016, that Adnan Sami was given Indian citizenship, this is an example. Giving citizenship to Taslima Nasreen is another example."

Sitharaman added that people who came from East Pakistan have been settled at various camps in the country.

"They are still there and it's been 50-60 years now. If you visit these camps, your heart will cry. The situation is the same with Sri Lankan refugees who continue to live in camps. They're barred from getting basic facilities," she said.

"A state assembly has passed a resolution against CAA. It is like making a political statement. We can understand that. But saying they will not implement it, then it is against the law. It is unconstitutional to say that", she said.

Sitharaman was responding to a query from among the audience at an event on CAA, organised by Chennai Citizens' Forum, that some states like Kerala have opposed implementation of the CAA in their respective states.

"A state assembly can pass resolution that they will not implement CAA. It is a political statement. They can go ahead and we will not say no to that.

Everybody in this country has the responsibility to implement the law which has been passed in Parliament,", the minister, who is here as part of BJP's nationwide 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' campaign in support of the Act, said.

The Kerala government last week moved the Supreme Court against the CAA, seeking to declare it "violative of the principles of equality, freedom and secularism enshrined in the Constitution".

Several state governments including Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra have voiced their disagreement with the CAA, as well as National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).

Congress Leader Kapil Sibal had said there was no way a state can deny implementation of CAA when it has already been passed by Parliament.