Washington DC, USA

India on Friday (Mar 15) rejected the comments made by a US government spokesperson over the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA, which expedites Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

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"The CAA is about giving citizenship, not about taking away citizenship. It addresses the issue of statelessness, provides human dignity and supports human rights," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said this afternoon.

"The Citizenship Amendment Act is an internal matter, and is in keeping with India's inclusive traditions and long-standing commitment to human rights. The CAA grants safe haven to persecuted minorities belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, who have entered India on or before December 31 2014," the spokesperson added.

"We are of the view that it is misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted," the MEA said while reacting to the statement by the US State Department.

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The US said Thursday (Mar 14) it was ‘concerned’ over the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by India.

"We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11. We are closely monitoring this Act - how this Act will be implemented," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily briefing.

"Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles," he added.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government officially notified the act on Monday (Mar 11), which reduces the qualification period of application for citizenship from 11 to 5 years for eligible migrants who came to India before December 31, 2014.

India’s home minister slams critics

Home Minister Amit Shah, earlier in an interview, explained why the act doesn’t award benefits to Muslim immigrants. In an interview with news agency ANI, Shah said it was India’s “moral and constitutional responsibility to give shelter to those who were part of Akhand Bharat and suffered religious persecution.” Akhand Bharat or Greater India is a historical concept that represents erstwhile India before partition and includes parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Also read: Protests erupt outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal`s residence after remarks against CAA

The interior minister said minorities in these nations faced humiliation and persecution for decades, resulting in the elimination of much of their population in the last 6-7 decades.

Watch: Indian Government announces implementation of CAA

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“Hindus accounted for 23 per cent of Pakistan's population at the time of partition. Now it is down to 3.7 per cent. Where did they go? These many people did not come here. Forced conversion took place, they were humiliated, treated as second-class citizens. Where will they go? Shouldn't our Parliament and political parties take a decision on this?" Shah said.

"Afghanistan had about 2 lakh Sikhs and Hindus in 1992,” he highlighted while justifying the act. “They are our brothers and sisters and mothers," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)