Goa civic body congratulates Modi, Shah for CAA

Panaji, Feb 10 (IANS) The civic corporation of Mapusa in North Goa, on Monday passed a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for passing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"This Council resolves to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the historic Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, which offers to grant Indian citizenship to the persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, seeking refuge in India on the ground of religious persecution and who are already staying in India prior to December 31, 2014," the resolution passed by the Mapusa Municipal Council on Monday read.

The resolution was moved by former mayor of the Council Sandeep Falari, a BJP party worker, at a meeting of councillors on Monday.

Mapusa is one of the most popular urban areas in the coastal state and is a significant commercial centre in North Goa district.

The resolution comes two days after the Archbishop of Goa's influential Roman Catholic church Filipe Neri Ferrao urged the central government to revoke the Citizenship Amendment Act, calling it "divisive" and "discriminatory".