Union Ayush Minster Shripad Naik on Sunday said the Centre is working on various fronts for the early resumption of mining in the state, including bringing the necessary Amendment to the law, saying the option of forming a Corporation to restart mining will be availed as a last resort.
The Union Minister also tried to allay apprehensions of the people of India on the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying the Act does not in any way affect the citizens of the country. Saying that the government is yet to take a call on implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the country, Naik urged the Opposition parties to stop misguiding the Muslim community over the issue.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a function held to inaugurate a pre-primary school at the Samarth Gad Temple at Rumdamol-Davorlim on Sunday, the Union Minister said the Centre is seized with the issue of mining and how it has crippled the state’s economy. He said an application has already been made in the Supreme Court for the early hearing of the matter pertaining to the 1987 matter, exuding confidence that this move will help in the resumption of the mining operations.
Naik, however, reassured that if all attempts to get the mining resumed legally do not fructify, the Centre will bring the necessary Amendment to the law which would facilitate resumption in mining operations.
On the issue of setting up of a Corporation to start the mining operation, Naik said the Corporation is one of the options the government is toying with, but hastened to add that the option will be availed as a last resort.
‘CAA WILl not affect citizens of India in any way’
PANAJI: Accusing the opposition of mixing up the two issues “ Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC) “ Union Ayush Minster Shripad Naik said CAA will not affect any of the citizens, presently staying in the country
He was speaking on the sidelines of a function held to inaugurate a pre-primary school at the Samarth Gad Temple at Rumdamol-Davorlim on Sunday.
Asked to comment on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, the Union Minister pointed out that the CAA will not affect any of the citizens staying in the country, saying that the law will instead only benefit the minorities, including the Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists who have taken refuge in the country due to persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
“Citizens from these persecuted communities are already staying in the country and the Citizenship Amendment Act will grant them Indian citizenship. The CAA will not affect any of the citizens, presently staying in the country,” he asserted.
On the question of why Muslims do not form part of the communities who will benefit from the Citizenship Amendment Act, Naik said since the countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Muslim majority countries where minorities face persecution, there’s no question of Muslims from these three countries being given citizenship in India.
He said the Congress had in the past favoured bestowing citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains from the three countries already staying in the country due to persecution back home.
“The opposition is mixing up the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) matters without any rhyme or reason. The government has only brought the CAA. Let me make clear the Centre has not taken a decision on holding NRC across the country,” he added.
On the state of the economy, Naik said the country is well on the course of achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream to make India a trillion economy country.
“The economy is not down as is made out to be. The government has taken a host of measures to boost the economy and the results will be seen in the coming days,” he added.
