As the country gears up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) is poised to take center stage once again.
Reports suggest that the rules for fast-tracking citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are likely to be issued before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the elections kicks in.
The CAA, which aims to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighboring countries, has been a subject of heated debate since its passage in December 2019. Despite obtaining presidential assent, its implementation has been delayed pending the formulation of rules.
Once the rules are in place, the Modi government will initiate the process of granting Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians who fled religious persecution and entered India before December 31, 2014.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has prepared an online portal to streamline the application process, simplifying the documentation requirements for applicants. However, the CAA has faced significant opposition, with protests erupting across the country following its passage. The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been vocal in her opposition to the law, accusing the central government of undermining secular principles.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on the other hand, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to implementing the CAA, asserting that it is a lawful measure. The BJP, which made the promise of implementing the CAA a key electoral plank in previous elections, views it as instrumental in its growing influence in states like West Bengal.
While the CAA remains a polarizing issue, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been steadily granting Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. From April 2021 to December 2021 alone, over 1,400 individuals belonging to these communities were naturalized under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Notably, district magistrates and home secretaries in nine states have been empowered to facilitate the citizenship process for these minorities. However, districts in Assam and West Bengal, where the issue is politically sensitive, have yet to be granted similar authority.
As India prepares for another electoral showdown, the implementation of the CAA and its impact on the socio-political landscape will undoubtedly remain a topic of fervent discussion and debate.
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