Muslims of Pak, Afghstan and Bangladesh can go to Islamic countries: Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said here on Sunday that Muslims of Pakistan, Afghstan and Bangladesh have the option to go to as many as 150 Islamic countries in the world while persecuted minorities in three neighbouring countries have nowhere to go except India to take recluse.

He was addressing a rally in support of Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 here in Nagpur on Sunday.

"The Muslims who come from these three countries are not called refugees while the Hindus, Jain, Parsis, Sikh, Christians etc are called refugees," said Nitin Gadkari.

"There are 100 to 150 countries that are Islamic if Muslims of Pakistan, Afghstan and Bangladesh want to leave their country they can go to as many as 150 countries. But the Hindus, Sikhs, Jain, Parsi, Christian have nowhere to go except India," said Nitin Gadkari.

He said that Hindus and other religious minorities have to face persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afgstan and have nowhere to go except India.

"Where they will go except India?" said Gadkari. "They are faced with numerous atrocities, murder, rapes and loot of their property. There are forceful conversions," he added.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghstan and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

( With inputs from ANI )