Today was a historic day as 14 people received the first batch of citizenship certificates granted by India under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). This occurs over two months after the government started the process of giving persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan Indian nationality.
Bhavna, one of the applicants who obtained citizenship, spoke to ANI and said, “I have got the citizenship today and I am feeling very happy, I can study further…I came here in 2014, and I was very happy when this (CAA) was passed…in Pakistan, we girls couldn’t study and it was difficult to go out, if we had to go out, we used to wear burqa. In India, we get to study, I am currently in 11th standard and I got to tuition as well…”
“Today, 300 persons in Delhi are being granted citizenship under the CAA. CAA is the country’s law,” home minister Amit Shah told ANI.
Reduced Qualification Period Under CAA
Enacted in December 2019, the CAA seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants, including Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus, who have escaped religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. These immigrants must have arrived in India before December 31, 2014, in order to be eligible. Notably, the Act shortens the 11-year residence requirement for citizenship to just five years.
Inaugural Ceremony in Delhi
At a ceremony in Delhi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla formally handed over the citizenship certificates. Senior authorities, such as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Registrar General of India, accompanied him. Bhalla underlined the importance of the CAA and its salient characteristics throughout the ceremony.
Delays and Implementation
Despite the CAA’s completion and presidential approval in December 2019, the regulations required to put it into effect weren’t made public until March 11 of this year. The COVID-19 epidemic was blamed for the more than four-year delay. The Citizenship Amendment Bill is currently being implemented, as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had pledged in its 2019 agenda.
Controversy and Opposition
Opposition parties have taken issue with the CAA’s notification, claiming that it is biased and politically motivated—especially in light of the impending Lok Sabha elections. Opponents worry that a large number of Muslims may become stateless as a result of the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The government has, however, always maintained that the CAA is intended to shield minorities from persecution in nearby Muslim-majority nations and does not prohibit Muslims from obtaining Indian citizenship under current legislation.