Address EU’s concerns on Citizenship Act, UK asks India

NEW DELHI: India should address the concerns regarding the new citizenship law, the envoy of the United Kingdom has said, foreign media reported on Friday.

UK High Commissioner in Indian Sir Dominique Asquith’s comment came even as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) maintained that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019, is an internal matter of the country.

“We noted what the government said that, ‘together with all, development for all, trust for all’, and I believe that is the manifested commitment of this government and I trust that it will continue to address the concerns that have been expressed. But that is for the Indian government and the Indian people,” Sir Dominique said.

The High Commissioner’s remarks came days after an anti-India gathering was allowed outside the Indian High Commission in London on January 26. The envoy said the UK could not stop protests on its soil as that is part of the democratic culture.

The comments came during the farewell press conference of the High Commissioner before he returns home at the end of his stint. The EU Parliament had on Wednesday discussed a joint motion against the CAA. Voting on the resolution, however, has been shifted to the end of March in view of the March 13 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Brussels for the EU-India summit.

Sir Dominique referred to the protests against the new law that are being reported from across the country, saying, “There are protests in every democracy. I can’t pick up a newspaper (that doesn't have) reports and commentary on the Citizenship Act.”