Dulon Das, a resident of Silchar, has made history as the first individual in Assam to receive Indian citizenship under the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The Union Home Ministry confirmed Das's citizenship on August 13, 2024, at 3:41 PM, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of the act.
At 50 years old, Das applied for citizenship on April 1, 2024, with the registration number 202400800772.
His family migrated from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh to Silchar in 1988 due to persistent violence.
Despite residing in India for over three decades, Das and his family struggled to establish their citizenship through the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process.
The CAA, which expedites citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014, offered Das a new opportunity to secure his legal status.
The act's rules were officially notified in March 2024, allowing for the commencement of applications.
Das's lawyer, Dharmananda Deb, a former member of the Foreigners Tribunal-4 in Silchar, disclosed that a total of eight applications for citizenship under the CAA had been submitted across Assam, with two applicants withdrawing their requests. Six applications, including Das's, remain under review by the Home Ministry.
The citizenship process involved thorough police verification, and Das submitted various documents, including land ownership deeds from Sylhet.
He has been advised to collect his citizenship certificate from the Regional Passport Office in Guwahati, though his legal team is considering alternative arrangements due to the considerable distance of 300 km.
Living with his wife and two sons, Das has been a voter in Assam since 1996 and owns land in Silchar. His family possesses various identification documents, including Aadhaar cards, and Das obtained a driving license in the early 2000s.
The limited number of applications for citizenship under the CAA in Assam has been attributed to a general lack of awareness among eligible individuals.
The act's implementation was a key campaign promise for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during recent national and state elections.
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