NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs on Tuesday with respect to
Citizenship
Amendment rules said that “Many
misconceptions
have been spread regarding the
CAA
. It will not take away citizenship of any
Indian citizen
, irrespective of religion. Eligible persons under CAA-2019 can apply for citizenship on.”
Busting myths related to CAA the ministry said “Indian
Muslims
need not worry as CAA has not made any provision to impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the present 18 crore Indian Muslims, who have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts.
No Indian citizen would be asked to produce any document to prove his citizenship after this Act.”
Additionally MHA said that, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) eliminates legal obstacles to rehabilitation and citizenship, ensuring protection for individuals’ cultural, linguistic, and social identities through their citizenship rights.
CAA mythbuster:
- Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 enables persecuted minorities from neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan & Bangladesh to seek Indian citizenship who had sought shelter in India before 31st December 2014, due to religious persecution
- It includes 6 minority communities – Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians
- Removes legal barriers to rehabilitation and citizenship
- It will give a dignified life to refugees who have suffered for decades
- Citizenship rights will protect their cultural, linguistic, and social identity
- It will also ensure economic, commercial, free movement, and property purchase rights
Is there any provision or agreement for repatriating illegal Muslim migrants to Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan?
India does not have any pact or agreement with any of these countries to repatriate migrants back to these countries. This Citizenship Act doesn’t deal with the deportation of illegal immigrants and therefore the concern of a Section of the people including Muslims and students that CAA is against Muslim Minorities is unjustifiable.
Is there any restriction for Muslim migrants from any foreign country?
CAA does not cancel the naturalisation laws. Therefore, any person including the Muslim migrants from any foreign country, seeking to be an Indian citizen, can apply for the same under the existing laws. This Act does not prevent any Muslim, who is persecuted in those 3 Islamic countries for practicing their version of Islam, from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws.