Union Home Minister Amit Shah has unequivocally stated that the CAA will remain intact and not be revoked. The Central Government of India put the CAA into effect on Monday, March 11, 2024.
The CAA is a controversial legislation facilitating citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. This development occurred four years after the law was passed by Parliament in December 2019.
Muslims are not Eligible for CAA?
However, many individuals have expressed skepticism regarding why only non-Muslim migrants are eligible for citizenship under the CAA. Additionally, numerous organizations and states are staging protests against the implementation of the CAA.
In Assam, protests have erupted as residents believe that the enforcement of the CAA violates the terms of the 1985 Assam Accord. The Assam Accord stipulated that only those foreigners who had come into the state before March 24, 1971.
Some critics also argue that the implementation of CAA could lead to discrimination against 200 million Muslims living across India, especially those who live near border states without proper documentation.
Certain researchers posit that the CAA will impose additional strain on India’s resources, given that India is already the world’s most populous nation. Moreover, there are theories suggesting that the enforcement of the CAA could exacerbate illegal migration.
Amit Shah on CAA
- In an interview with ANI, Amit Shah made it very clear that the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 is impossible to repeal. In a similar interview, Shah said that CAA was delayed due to COVID-19, and the opposition wants to do appeasement politics and consolidate their vote bank.
- Shah said the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) has nothing to do with the NRC (National Register of Citizens). He said the CAA doesn’t have any provision to take away anybody’s citizenship.
- Amit Shah said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) gives rights and citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
- Shah stated that the CAA will be enforced nationwide, except in regions of the Northeast where specific exemptions apply. These exemptions pertain to areas with provisions such as the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and those granted special status under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, encompassing states like Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
- When questioned about the perceived anti-Muslim nature of the CAA, Shah clarified that it is intended for individuals who have experienced religious persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. He emphasized its constitutional validity, adding that citizenship will be granted to all eligible applicants, without the possibility of infiltration.