New Delhi: In a significant development, the first batch of citizenship certificates was issued to 14 individuals under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) today, nearly two months after its notification by the Centre. This marks the commencement of the process aimed at granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla personally handed over the citizenship certificates to the applicants in Delhi. During the interactive session, he highlighted the key features of the CAA, emphasizing its role in providing relief to persecuted minorities from neighboring countries.
The CAA, enacted in December 2019, reduces the qualification period for citizenship application from 11 to 5 years for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. These migrants, belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities, are eligible for Indian nationality under the provisions of the Act.
Although the CAA received presidential assent soon after its enactment, the rules governing the grant of Indian citizenship were issued only on March 11 this year after a delay of over four years. The ruling BJP, which had pledged to enact the Citizenship Amendment Bill in its 2019 manifesto, cited the pandemic as the reason for the delay in implementation.
While the notification of the CAA sparked criticism from the opposition, with allegations of discrimination and political motives, the government reiterated that the Act aims to provide refuge to persecuted minorities without affecting the rights of any Indian citizen, including Muslims.
Despite assurances from the government, protests erupted in various parts of the country over concerns that the CAA could be used to label individuals as illegal immigrants and strip them of their Indian citizenship. The government, however, clarified that the CAA does not address the deportation of illegal immigrants and emphasizes India’s tradition of generosity in offering citizenship to those facing persecution.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Amit Shah, emphasized that no Indian citizen would be required to produce documentation to prove citizenship, reaffirming the inclusive nature of the Citizenship Act.
