WebDesk
11 March
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a significant development, the Modi government is poised to notify the rules for the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)-2019, which aims to confer citizenship upon undocumented non-Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The long-awaited move is expected to initiate the process of granting Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians who arrived before December 31, 2014.
Passed in December 2019 and subsequently receiving the President’s assent, the CAA has been the focal point of nationwide protests. Despite its passage, the Act has yet to come into effect as the implementing rules have remained pending.
The CAA’s core objective is to provide a pathway to citizenship for persecuted minorities from neighboring countries. However, its selective approach, excluding Muslims, has sparked debates and demonstrations across various parts of the country.
As the rules are on the brink of notification, the nation braces for potential repercussions and a renewed discussion on the socio-political implications of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.