Table of Contents
India issues citizenship certificates to first batch of 14 refugees under controversial Citizenship Amendment Act
India has ohnted the first ten ones out of the group of 14 refugees in a confidental manner to be the first refugees to get citizenship according to the less popular Citizenship Amendment Act. The refugees serve as a reminder of the kind contribution of the neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
It was this year, 2019, during the course of which the Indian Cabinet originally put forward this idea and then passed the law. CAA amended the Citizenship Act 1955, in which Section 2 was a precise requirement. The clause in its amended version provides that for those minority communities, namely, the Hindus, Sikhs, and the Parsis, Christians, and Jains from the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan should not be treated as illegal immigrants.
However, the original Act was criticized to be unfair for many supporters including Muslims who did not benefit from the provisions provided in the bill. On the other end, Indian Muslims faced an issue of losing citizenship without correct documentation whereas the act had an impact on non-Muslim refugees, who automatically became citizens after having been in India during a period of 7 years.
In concluding, the bill resulted in violent rallies around the country by the demonstrators and which finally stopped following the issuing of an isolation directive by the Indian government as a preventive measure against spreading of the COVID-19. The alter of the event took place on the 11th March where the government officially announced regulation of rules inducing the CAA. The aftermath is that the only thing left is the features that were not changed, including the sub-clause which is added to the Muslim group while other citizens advocate that they should also be welcomed as “Urumangats”.
After implementation, during the 4 months, a definite number of visa application (300) were made by Pakistanis and Bangladeshing citizens who came to India up to the December 31, 2014. Furthermore, the aim was to come up with an entry that crossed the religious line for the purpose of seeking religious persecution or fearing it. Considerably, the designated states are Muslim-populated-countries. The authority has even stated that the Muslims could never be recognized as a minority or subject to persecution in these countries by using the same reason.
A process of application was required and then duly checked by the state-level bodies. The committees in the concerned state which include the empowered committees check the granny cards. The candidates shall be asked to show documents demonstrating citizenship from the one of the countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh. The candidates shall also be requested to show that the last time they entered India was on or before December 31, 2014.
However, the Supreme Court has not yet adjudicated a few petitions before it resisting the enactment of the law. What the further, the law under attack more time have been from the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee who said that she will oppose CAA if it precisely curtail the rights of Indian citizens.
