New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is soon expected to reach out to the foreign media and brief them regarding the recently cleared Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The move is aimed at correcting the negative perception of the Act in overseas publications.
Sources stated that senior party leaders and ministers from the Narendra Modi Cabinet have been directed to reach out to the foreign media corps and do a detailed briefing on the subject.
It is understood that the government wants to clear doubts of the foreign media regarding the implementation of the law. Besides, the government is of the view that there is an immediate need to stem the negative articles in foreign publications and bring out India’s perspective regarding the new legislation.
Sources stated that the need to clarify on the issue was a result of opposition's attempt to “malign the Modi government on the issue”.
The media representatives would be made aware that under the CAA, Muslims from other countries will not be debarred from securing the citizenship of India.
“Under section 6 of the Citizenship Act of 1955, there is a provision for any foreigner, including foreign Muslims, to apply for citizenship of India provided he or she fulfils the criteria laid down. That section remains unaltered, unchanged and undisturbed,” sources added.
The latest attempt at reaching out to the masses for clearing the misinformation campaign on the CAA comes after senior cabinet ministers and BJP leaders have been deployed across the country to dispel misgivings about law, allegedly being spread by the opposition.
The BJP has also launched a massive media and social media campaign to reach out and explain the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act, in an attempt at dispelling any misgivings regarding the law.
The Citizenship Amendment Act seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who entered the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014. The CAA was cleared by Parliament in the recently concluded winter session.
