New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing debate over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a significant query today: why do Parsis and Christians qualify under the CAA while Muslims do not? The CAA is designed to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who migrated to India before December 31, 2014.
In an interview to ANI, Shah responded to the question regarding the inclusion of Parsis and Christians – religions originating outside India – under the Act, while Muslims are excluded. He stated, “That (area) is not a part of India today because of a Muslim population. It was given for them. I believe it is our moral and Constitutional responsibility to give shelter to those who were part of Akhand Bharat and suffered religious persecution.”
Akhand Bharat refers to the concept of a united India encompassing present-day Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet.
The Home Minister highlighted that Hindus constituted 23 percent of Pakistan’s population during Partition but have dwindled to 3.7 percent now due to forced conversions and mistreatment. He questioned, “Where will they go? Shouldn’t our Parliament and political parties address this issue?” Similarly, he noted the decline in the Hindu population in Bangladesh and the diminishing presence of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan.
Addressing concerns about other persecuted communities such as Shia, Baloch, and Ahmadiyya Muslims, Shah mentioned that the CAA focuses on minorities from specific countries but stressed that all Muslims can apply for citizenship under existing constitutional provisions, subject to government evaluation considering national security and other factors.
Responding to queries about individuals lacking documentation, Mr. Shah assured that solutions would be found for them, estimating that over 85% of such cases possess necessary documents.
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