The Ministry of Home Affairs has officially announced the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by notifying its rules today. The CAA’s rules, termed as the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, have been introduced to facilitate the process of granting Indian citizenship to eligible individuals under the CAA-2019. The law primarily targets Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, making it easier for them to acquire Indian citizenship.
In a statement released via the official handle of the Ministry’s spokesperson, it was emphasized that applications for citizenship will be exclusively submitted through an online portal. This development follows Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s prior declaration that the law would be enforced ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The CAA, enacted in 2019, aims to offer citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from the aforementioned countries who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Its passage ignited widespread protests across various regions of the country.
Addressing concerns and criticisms, Amit Shah reiterated that the CAA is a commitment of the nation, emphasizing that it does not revoke anyone’s citizenship. He clarified that the law is designed to extend citizenship to refugees who faced persecution in Bangladesh and Pakistan, echoing assurances provided by the Congress government in the past.
However, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee firmly declared her government’s stance against the implementation of CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state. She denounced attempts to sow division among communities and criticized the unequal attention given to various regions in addressing such issues.
The unfolding of events surrounding the implementation of the CAA continues to draw attention and debate across the political spectrum.
[Source: Adapted from inputs by ANI, PTI]
