The first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was issued today to 14 people, nearly two months after the Centre notified it.
This marks the beginning of the process to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The CAA reduces the qualification period for citizenship applications from 11 to five years for these migrants who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed over the citizenship certificates to the applicants in Delhi, highlighting the key features of the CAA. The event was attended by other senior officials, including the Secretary of Posts, Director of Intelligence Bureau, and the Registrar General of India.
Enacted in December 2019, the CAA aims to provide Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, specifically targeting Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians.
Although the Act received presidential assent in 2019, the rules necessary for granting citizenship were issued only on March 11 this year, following a delay attributed to the pandemic.
The notification of the CAA has faced sharp criticism from the opposition, which argues that the move is discriminatory and politically motivated in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The ruling BJP, which had promised the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in its 2019 manifesto, asserts that the CAA “does not prevent any persecuted Muslim from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws”. The government maintains that the law is essential to aid minorities facing persecution in Muslim-majority countries, reflecting India’s long-standing tradition of offering refuge.
Also Read: What is CAA, its eligibility criteria and all you need to know about Citizenship Amendment Act
Protests had erupted in various parts of the country, with some fearing that the law could be used to declare them illegal immigrants and strip them of their Indian citizenship.
The government has denied these claims, asserting that no Indian citizen will be asked to produce any document to prove their citizenship under the CAA. The Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Amit Shah, emphasized that the Citizenship Act does not address the deportation of illegal immigrants but is meant to facilitate the granting of citizenship to persecuted minorities for a better future.
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