Central Government Implements Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)

New Delhi: The Home Ministry has today notified the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and announced its implementation. The move comes after weeks of anticipation after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the law would be implemented ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The CAA aims to streamline the process of granting Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. These refugees will now get the opportunity to apply for Indian citizenship completely through online mode as per the newly notified rules.

In line with the provisions of the CAA, non-Muslim migrants who came to India before December 31, 2014, from the above countries will be eligible for citizenship. The implementation of the law marks an important step towards providing a path to citizenship for persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries.

Despite facing protests across the country after its implementation in 2019, the government has reiterated its commitment to implement the CAA. Reaffirming the government’s stand, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stressed that the law is a promise to the country and it will be implemented without any hindrance.

However, the implementation of the CAA has also faced opposition from some quarters. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in particular, has vowed to oppose the implementation of both the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

As the government moves ahead with the implementation of the CAA, it remains to be seen how the process progresses and how it impacts the socio-political landscape of the country.