Modi Administration Implements CAA Before Lok Sabha Elections, Weeks Ahead Of Campaign Season
The announcement of these regulations aims to streamline the process for migrants from neighboring countries to acquire Indian citizenship, especially those lacking proper documentation.
The Narendra Modi-led government has made a significant announcement, revealing its plans to enforce the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) prior to the imminent Lok Sabha elections. This decision comes ahead of the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), demonstrating the government's proactive approach. Home Minister Amit Shah, acting as the spokesperson for Prime Minister Modi, underscored the administration's commitment to fulfilling promises. He emphasized that these measures aim to facilitate minorities who have endured religious persecution in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship.
The Modi government today notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.
These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation.
With this notification PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has… — Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) March 11, 2024
Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs has divulged that the citizenship application process will be conducted digitally through a dedicated web portal. This move corresponds with earlier statements by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had previously stated at a business summit that the CAA regulations would be put into effect before the Lok Sabha elections.
Since its inception in 2019, the CAA has been embroiled in controversy, sparking widespread protests across India. Despite facing opposition labeling it as divisive, the government staunchly defends the CAA as a lawful measure designed to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighboring countries.
Amit Shah reiterated that the CAA's primary objective is not to strip anyone of their Indian citizenship, but rather to extend it to individuals who have faced persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The announcement of these regulations aims to streamline the process for migrants from neighboring countries to acquire Indian citizenship, especially those lacking proper documentation.
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Additionally, the amendment to the Citizenship Act of 1955, facilitated by the CAA, extends Indian citizenship to migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Specifically, it targets individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian communities who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, fleeing religious persecution in their home countries. This amendment is anticipated to provide assistance to refugees from neighboring nations who lack the necessary documentation.
In essence, the implementation of the CAA regulations ahead of the Lok Sabha elections marks a significant development in India's citizenship policies. It underscores the government's commitment to offering sanctuary to persecuted minorities from neighboring countries.
