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.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said those who are opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act are anti-Dalits as a major section of the persecuted minorities in Pakistan are Dalits.
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.
At an event in Karnataka's Hubli, Shah said, "I want to ask those opposing Citizenship Amendment Act, what will you gain by going against Dalits who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan? Those who are opposing CAA are anti-Dalits."
Severe protests have erupted in various parts of the country ever since the central government passed the contentious act, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees belonging to the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, and Jain communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
Earlier, Shah consistently defended the Centre's move to implement the law saying that there is no provision taking away citizenship from any religious community.
On January 12, Amit Shah doubled down on against opposition parties, challenging TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to find a provision in CAA that can take away anyone's citizenship.
Speaking at a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, he said, "I challenge Mamata Banerjee and Rahul baba, to find out a provision from Citizenship Amendment Act that can take citizenship away from anyone in this country."
"Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian refugees from Pakistan have as much right on India as you do," he added.
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.
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