India enforces controversial CAA
The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which gives citizenship to non-Muslims who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan until 2014, went into force yesterday, the Indian home ministry said.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of the section 1 of the
Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (47 of 2019), the central government hereby appoints the 10th day of January, 2020, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force,” said a ministry gazette notification.
The CAA, which has sparked countrywide street protests, was passed by parliament on December 11.
According to the CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan until December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants and given Indian citizenship.
The critics of the law say it is for the first time that India will grant citizenship on the basis of religion which violates the basic tenets of the country’s constitution.
But the government and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have been defending the CAA, saying the minority groups from the three countries have no other option but to come India when they face religious persecution there.
The home ministry is yet to frame the rules for the Act.
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