Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday at a rally in Lucknow launched a scathing attack on the opposition over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and dared Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav to hold a public debate on the law.

He further alleged the three opposition leaders of spreading misinformation on the Act.

Making a strong claim on the Act that it is not unconstitutional, he said, “The government is not going back on CAA. Those who want to protest may continue doing so.”

The minister further challenged the opposition to prove any clause of the Act that seeks to take away anyone’s citizenship.

Shah’s remarks came at the Jan Jagran Abhiyan on CAA, which is an initiative by the party to counter opposition’s remarks on the law which they allege to be anti-Muslim.

Reiterating his claim, he said there is no provision in CAA to take back anyone’s citizenship, rather it is an Act to provide citizenship.

He also launched an attack on JNU students, Left-wing specifically, by saying, “Two years ago, anti-national slogans were raised in the country. I want to ask the people of the country that whether those who raise such slogans should be jailed or not?”

“When Modiji put them behind the bars, then Rahul and company are saying that it was their Freedom of Speech,” he said attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

He also alleged the Congress of dividing the nation in 1947.

Supporting the CAA by quoting comments by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru on migrants in Pakistan, Shah said, “In 1947, Mahatma Gandhi had said Hindus, Sikhs living in Pakistan can come back to India whenever they want. It should be the Indian government’s duty to provide such immigrants citizenship.”

“Nehru ji had said that the National Relief Fund should be used for the welfare of refugees. He also said that whatever steps would be necessary to provide citizenship to such refugees, should be taken by the government,” he said.

“But Congress did nothing for them,” he added.

Terming the partition of India as a result of Congress’ ‘sin’, he said that there was a steady downfall in the number of minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

“Where have those people gone? Few were killed while others were forced to change their religion,” he said.

Shah’s remarks on the CAA comes amid the ongoing agitation in the country against the Act, which most claim to be anti-minority and unconstitutional.

Shaheen Bagh in Delhi is still witnessing protests against the Act and it has entered its 38th day of protest.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the Act on January 22.