CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT (2019)

Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) – Those persecuted minority Hindu, Sikh, Buddhists, Jain, Christians, Parsi community on religious grounds in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India till 31^st Dec 2014 will be given Indian Citizenship. Pakistan Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Islamic countries. In 2015 Indian Government permitted the refugees to come sans passport. In 2016 the bill was introduced in Loksabha, In Rajya Sabha it was referred to select committee.

North East – to protect the local ethnicity and tribal culture – CAA  shall not be applied to to tribal area of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura as included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution and the area covered under "The Inner Line" notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

Why the Act?  - These persecuted were already inside our country staying as refugees in makeshift camps in Delhi and other places. Assam has some 5 lakhs of them. India is the only country for Hindus to get in and get protected if they face religious persecution. Religious persecution happens in these three Islamic countries where the average Hindu percentage has dropped from 20 to less than 04 percent in last 70 yrs. In terms of population the persecuted Hindu population dwindling from 20 % to less than 4 % comes to lakhs who have either migrated, or got killed or got converted forcefully. We welcome them in our country because they don’t have any place to go. They feel India is their natural country. It is in line with our culture of acceptance and to protect who are persecuted on religious lines. Muslims in Islamic countries will not be religiously persecuted ever be in majority.

Why Opposition? – Northeast people feel their tribal ethnicity will be eclipsed by the inflows of these refugees turned citizens. Their concerns have been addressed by keeping many areas out of CAA and introducing Inner Line Permit. At other places the opposition is to milk the word communal, secular create confusion usurp muslim vote bank. Note there are over 800 universities and 38000 educational institutions. The protests are mostly staged and preplanned in Jamia Milia, Jawaharlal and Jadavpur universities and media giving it a color of protest by student community.

Can Anyone Become Indian Citizen?  - Yes anyone can apply for citizenship and as per law will be granted. Recent example of it is Adnan Sami a Pakistani singer. He applied and he is now a citizen of India. 

Tailpiece – For a citizen of India irrespective of his faith, CAA is not applicable and therefore nothing to worry at all. They were they are and they will remain proud citizens of out country. CAA will give citizenship to persecuted persons.