Ravi Shastri Throws His Support Behind Citizenship Amendment Act
Published - 09 Jan 2020, 07:50 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:03 AM
While India captain Virat Kohli refused to comment on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a different route. The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
The act has divided opinions throughout the country. There are also protest in various parts of the country as few sections have expressed their reservations over the act. However, Ravi Shastri is not one of them. The former allrounder has put his weight behind CAA. Ravi Shastri has asked the people of India to be patient and said that there are benefits in the long run, when asked to comment about the issues surrounding CAA during an interview with CNN-News18.
“Ever since I was 18 years of age I played for India, so I think Indian. I don’t think what nationality, ‘yeh,woh’ because in my team also there were all sorts. Different castes, different religions,” Ravi Shastri told the news channel.
“India per say I say guys be patient because I can see plenty of positives coming out of it in the long run. Think Indian, don’t think I am this, I am that. Think Indian and there are benefits coming your way. I am sure the government has thought about it. Now it is about the implementation. If there are still things that need to be tweaked here or there I am sure they will do it. For the benefit of India, for the benefit of Indians. I am speaking as an Indian here,” he added.
Earlier, Virat Kohli had refused to speak much on the matter, saying that he would not give an opinion on the matter citing lack of ‘total knowledge’.
“And the issue—I do not want to be irresponsible and speak on something that has, you know, radical opinions (on) both sides. I need to have total information, total knowledge of what it means and what is going on and then be responsible to give opinion on it. Because you can say one thing and then someone can say another thing. So, I would not like to get involved in something that I don’t have total knowledge of and it’s not going to be responsible on my part to comment on,” Kohli had responded.
Meanwhile, India are currently playing Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series. After the first match in Guwahati was washed out, India won the second match. The third and final T20I will take place on Friday before the Men in Blue take on Australia in a three-match ODI series.
