Piyush Goyal Celebrates Raksha Bandhan with Hindu Refugees

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday celebrated Raksha Bandhan with Pakistani Hindu women refugees residing in Delhi and said that the Citizenship Act would provide safety and security to these nationals who have migrated from the neighbouring countries.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Centre had announced the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

These migrants include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.

"The Citizenship (Amendment) Act has provided respect and safety that is your right," he said, adding "this is one of the best Raksha Bandhan celebrations of my life".

He said that due to the strong will of the Modi-government, all these Pakistani Hindu women refugees have been able to get Indian citizenship under CAA.

All these women tied rakhi to the Union Minister.

The festival celebrates the brother-sister relationship and falls on the last day of the holy Hindu month of Sawan.

On the rape and murder of RG Kar hospital's trainee doctor in Kolkata, the minister said it is "very unfortunate... I am sure that this will awaken the spirit and the conscience of the nation. It's really a dastardly act".

The body of the doctor was found inside a seminar hall of the hospital on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested the next day for his alleged involvement in the crime.