CAA to grant citizenship to 6 religious minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh
At last after more than four years, the Central government on Monday notified the Rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from religious minority communities who had sought shelter in India before December 312014, due to religious persecution in three neighbouring Islamic countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. This Act was to give Indian Citizenship to six minority communities – Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, who faced religious persecution from the three Islamic countries.
The law specifically excludes the Muslim community from the proviso, triggering protests across the country and a slew of petitions before the Supreme Court. But mysteriously Modi Government which passed the CAA in December 2019, sought more than 10 extensions to bring the Rules of the CAA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah dillydallied in executing the Rules for more than four years.
Why delayed? Still, no answer for the delay is given in bringing out just 5-page Rules and 34-page forms on the pattern of the application formats for the refugees, living in pathetic conditions in many relief camps. The CAA, which had triggered large-scale riots in Delhi in February 2020, had received the assent of the President of India on December 12, 2019.
The CAA amends Section 2 of the Citizenship Act of 1955 which defines “illegal migrants”. It added a new proviso to Section 2(1)(b) of the Citizenship Act. As per the same, persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan, and who have been exempted by the Central government under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, or the Foreigners Act, 1946, shall not be treated as “illegal migrant”. Consequently, such persons shall be eligible to apply for citizenship under the 1955 Act.
This is the law to give citizenship. CAA will not take away the citizenship of any Indian citizen, irrespective of religion. This Act is only for those who have suffered persecution for years in the three neighbouring Islamic countries and have no other shelter in the world except India. However many opposition parties ignited protests across the country, accusing that this Act intended to target Muslims.
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Much to do about nothing. Storm in tea cup.