In a significant move, the government issued a notification on Monday evening, bringing the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) into effect today, just weeks before the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election. The CAA, passed by Parliament in December 2019, allows the central government to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who faced religious persecution before December 31, 2014.
The Home Ministry spokesperson announced that eligible individuals can submit applications through a completely online mode, with no additional documentation required. The implementation of the CAA was a key campaign promise for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 election.
Less than a month ago, Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the CAA would be notified and come into effect before the election. He dismissed concerns about targeting Muslims and accused Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of misleading the people on the issue. Mamata Banerjee promptly responded, stating her government’s firm opposition to anything discriminatory.
Mamata Banerjee criticized the timing of the CAA implementation, alleging it was for political reasons, and emphasized her commitment to preventing unrest in Bengal before the election. Notably, parts of the northeast have been exempted from the CAA, a region where protests and clashes occurred in the past.
The Assam Students Union, which led anti-CAA protests in the state four years ago, has called for another agitation. Opposition leaders from various states, including MK Stalin in Tamil Nadu, expressed strong opposition, accusing the BJP government of undermining communal harmony.
States like Kerala and Punjab, along with Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, opposed the CAA and passed resolutions against it. Bengal and Kerala also halted work related to the National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, then ruled by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Congress, respectively, also passed resolutions against all three measures.
The government contends that the CAA will aid minorities from Muslim-dominated countries who fled religious persecution, while critics argue it discriminates against Muslims and violates the Constitution. As political tensions rise with the election approaching, the CAA remains a contentious and divisive issue across the country.
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