Under the CAA, citizenship is provided to persecuted minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
Digital Desk: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced that the process of granting citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has begun in West Bengal, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. Empowered committees in these states handed over the first set of citizenship certificates to eligible individuals on Wednesday.
This development coincides with the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled for June 1 in several constituencies across West Bengal, including Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar.
After the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 on March 11, the MHA initiated the issuance of citizenship certificates on May 15 in Delhi, granting around 300 citizenships on the first day.
Under the CAA, citizenship is provided to persecuted minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
In a statement on Wednesday, the MHA stated, "The process of granting citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 has now commenced in the state of West Bengal, where the first set of applications from the State was today granted citizenship by the Empowered Committee, West Bengal. Similarly, the Empowered Committees of the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand have also granted citizenship today to the first set of applicants in their respective States, under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024."
The CAA was passed in December 2019, triggering protests that subsided due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pending petitions in the Supreme Court. The Act aligns with the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto promises but faces criticism from opposition parties. Leaders like Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin oppose the CAA, citing concerns over constitutional rights.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted on May 14 that Mamata Banerjee would not be able to obstruct the implementation of the CAA.
The CAA rules stipulate that refugees from six minority communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan seeking citizenship must submit an application, affidavits, and supporting documents. These documents can include passports, birth certificates, identity documents, and proof of Indian residence. Applicants must also demonstrate entry into India before December 31, 2014, through various documents like visas, registration certificates, or government-issued licenses.
Leave A Comment