Historic Moment: 14 People Granted Citizenship Under CAA for the First Time

 Credit: NDTV

15.05.2024: New Delhi: The first batch of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was issued today to 14 individuals, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of this legislation enacted in December 2019.

The CAA was designed to provide Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. This move comes nearly two months after the Centre officially notified the CAA, setting in motion the process of granting Indian citizenship to eligible migrants who fled religious persecution in their home countries.

Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla personally handed over the citizenship certificates to the applicants in Delhi, emphasizing the key features of the CAA. The event was attended by Secretary Posts, Director (IB), Registrar General of India, and other senior officials.

One of the pivotal aspects of the CAA is the reduction of the qualification period for citizenship application from 11 to 5 years for undocumented non-Muslim migrants who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

The Act encompasses various religious minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians. It received presidential assent in December 2019, with the rules governing Indian citizenship issuance being finalized on March 11 this year, following a delay of over four years attributed to the pandemic.

While the CAA has faced criticism from opposition quarters labeling it as discriminatory and politically motivated, the government asserts that it aims to provide a pathway to citizenship for persecuted minorities without impeding the rights of persecuted Muslims who can still apply for Indian citizenship through existing laws.

Despite protests in several parts of the country, the government clarifies that the CAA is not aimed at depriving any Indian citizen of their nationality. The Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Amit Shah, reiterated that no Indian citizen would be required to furnish additional documents to prove their citizenship status, emphasizing that the Citizenship Act does not pertain to the deportation of illegal immigrants.

This historic step under the CAA is seen as a reaffirmation of India’s tradition of providing refuge and opportunities for those facing persecution, aligning with the nation’s ethos of inclusivity and humanitarianism.

 Source – NDTV