India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act in action: 14 migrants granted citizenship by MHA
A beneficiary of the CAA (left) and India's Home Minister Amit Shah (File photo)
India'sMinistry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday (May 15) issued the first set of citizenship certificates to the beneficiaries under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Media reports said the certificates were issued to 14 people andwere handed overby Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in New Delhi.
During the event, Ajay Kumar Bhalla highlighted the salient features of the act.Healso congratulated the beneficiaries after their applications were processed online through the designated portal.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), enacted in 2019, offers citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. Amongst the beneficiary religions are Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.
The rules regarding the act were issued earlier in March thisyear,after a delay of four years.
The critics of the act say it undermines the secular fabric of the Indian Constitution as it offers citizenship based on the religion of the applicant.
Several opposition leaders have slammed the government for the act.
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjeeearlier termed the law as“dangerous,”which shebelievecould“foster”communal division in the country.
However, the government says it offers protection to persecuted minorities in the three Muslim-dominated nations.
The government has also clarified that itdoesn'timpact any citizen of the country while refuting allegations that CAA targets Indian Muslims.
The implementation and successful execution of the act is a poll promise in thisyear's election manifesto of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
(With inputs from agencies)