Those not chanting Vande Mataram have no right to live in India: Union Minister Pratap Sarangi

Expressing his opinion on the controversial Citizenship Act which caused widespread unrest in the nation, Union Minister Pratap Sarangi on Saturday said that those who set the country on fire and do not accept India's freedom, unity, Vande Mataram have no right to stay in India.

"Those who set the country on fire are not patriots. Those who do not accept India's freedom, unity, Vande Mataram, have no right to stay in the country," ANI quoted Pratap as saying at an event in Gujarat.

#WATCH Union Minister Pratap Sarangi in Surat, Gujarat: Those who do not accept Vande Mataram have no right to live in India. (18.01.2020) pic.twitter.com/zEr4R8Z7Op

— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2020

Weighing in on the issue, he said that it was implemented to right the wrongs of partition, claiming it was a sin committed by the Congress.

"CAA should have happened 70 years ago. CAA is a way to atone for the sin committed by our forefathers, a select few leaders. It is atonement for the sin of Partition. And we should congratulate PM Narendra Modi for this. Congress committed the sin, and we are atoning," he added.

Pratap also feels that people should be thankful to Narendra Modi for bringing in the law.

The controversial law promises citizenship to "illegal immigrants" belonging to minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution in the three countries. 

Several civil society members and activists have stated that the act discriminates against Muslims, a claim which has been refuted by the Centre, which puts that the act will grant long-deserved citizenship to refugees who have faced religious persecution in these neighbouring countries.