BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Wednesday defended Modi government’s stand on the Citizenship Amendment Bill and the announcement of 10 per cent quota for the poor among the general category.

“The Centre under the leadership of PM Modi is committed to the welfare of all, and there is nothing to worry about the Citizenship Bill or 10 per cent quota for the poor among the general category,” said Madhav talking to ANI.

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Talking about the former NDA ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which left the alliance in protest against the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill, Madhav said, “Unfortunate that AGP has decided to quit NDA. Their apprehensions are just apprehensions; there is no truth in them. We are committed to protecting the identity of people of Assam. Appeal to AGP to reconsider decision.

“This has been a long-standing demand of successive Assam governments right from 1980. Our government has taken this decision of extending the ST status to six communities like Thai Ahom, tea-tribes and others. They will be categorized as a separate tribal group,” added Madhav.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill will enable granting of Indian citizenship to minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan such as Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis on grounds of religious persecution.

“The Citizenship Amendment Bill is not any state or region specific. It’s for the entire country. In last so many decades India has seen phenomena of minorities from neighbourhood, especially from Pakistan and Afghanistan coming to India as they have nowhere else to go. They seek refuge in India. It’s India’s duty to extend citizenship facility to them but it’s not for any one region. It’s coming with a number of conditions so that no single state will be unnecessarily burdened or unnecessarily subjected to demographic problem,” said Madhav.

On Wednesday, while addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Solapur, Modi had ‘assured’ the protesting people of Assam and other states of the northeast that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 will not infringe upon their rights.

Earlier, on Monday, the Union Cabinet had announced 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the economically backward upper castes.

The Lok Sabha has already passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) bill providing for 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections among the general category in government service and higher educational institutions. Now it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha to be finalised.