In a statement at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Faiza Rifat, a woman woman from Jaipur, Rajasthan, voiced her support for India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Rifat’s underscored the CAA’s aim to offer a pathway to citizenship for religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The Act benefits Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who entered India before December 31, 2014.
‘The CAA addresses an urgent need by providing refuge and legal status to those who have historically faced persecution in their home countries’, according to Rifat.
Highlighting recent developments in Bangladesh, Rifat urgued that the CAA’s implementation is crucial as the Hindu minority in Bangladesh faces ongoing persecution and selective violence. The Act, she contended, provides these individuals with a vital option for migration to a safer environment and allows them to live with dignity.
Rifat further explained that the CAA helps differentiate between refugees fleeing persecution and illegal immigrants. She said, ‘The CAA helps distinguish between genuine refugees fleeing persecution and illegal immigrants, thereby ensuring that those with legitimate claims to asylum are granted citizenship while curbing illegal migration’.
She argued, ‘This distinction enables the Indian Government to more effectively address illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, particularly in sensitive border regions’. Rifat described the CAA as a protective measure for vulnerable minorities, shielding them from exploitation and ensuring their safety within India’s borders.
She stressed its role in safeguarding persecuted minorities and contributing to India’s broader goals of security and social stability.
Comments