The Indian Express, New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said Sunday that half of Bangladesh’s citizens would leave that country and cross over if Indian citizenship was promised to them. “Half of Bangladesh will be empty (vacant) if India offers citizenship to them (Bangladeshis). Half of Bangladeshis will come over to India if citizenship is promised (to them). Who will take responsibility? KCR? or Rahul Gandhi?” PTI quoted Reddy as saying.

Speaking at Santh Ravidas Jayanthi celebrations in Hyderabad, Reddy challenged Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to prove in what way the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was against the people living in India.

“They seek citizenship for infiltrators. The Government of India is ready to review the CAA if it has one word against anyone of the 130 crore citizens, but not for Pakistani or Bangladeshi Muslims,” Reddy further said. Asserting that the amendment to the Citizenship Act was introduced on humanitarian grounds for certain persecuted communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, the Union Minister said some political parties were demanding that citizenship be given to Muslims of those countries as well.

Calling Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) a ‘friendly party’ of TRS, Reddy accused the former of indulging in vote bank politics.

“I am challenging Chief Minister KCR to prove that if anyone out of 130 crore citizens of this country is affected by the Citizenship Amendment Act,” Reddy said.

Pointing out that refugees and infiltrators should not be treated alike; Reddy claimed parties such as Congress were seeking citizenship for infiltrators who came from Bangladesh and Pakistan.