CAA implemented in India: A day after implementing the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, the Home Ministry has said that Muslims in India will have equal rights as their Hindu counterparts. The Government of India released an official statement to this effect, where the Center has said that Indian Muslims do not need to worry about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented CAA in India on Monday, March 11. Protests took place at many places across the country on Wednesday.
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To allay fears of discrimination against Muslims in India, the Home Ministry issued a statement saying that the 18 crore Indian Muslims have the same rights as their Hindu counterparts and that any citizen will not be required to produce any document to prove their citizenship. Will not be asked for.
“Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA makes no provision to affect their citizenship and has nothing to do with the current 18 crore Indian Muslims who have the same rights as their Hindu counterparts. No Indian citizen will be asked to produce any document to prove his/her citizenship after this Act,” the ministry said in the statement.
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The government said that due to the oppression of minorities in some Muslim countries, ‘the name of Islam has been badly tarnished’.
“However, Islam, being a peaceful religion, never promotes or suggests hatred/violence/any persecution on religious grounds. This act, shows compassion and compensation for the oppressed, tarnishing Islam in the name of oppression. Prevents it from happening.”
The government said the concern of a section of people that the CAA is against Muslims is “unwarranted”.
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“India has no agreement or understanding with any of these countries to deport migrants to these countries. This Citizenship Act does not relate to deportation of illegal migrants and therefore concerns a section of people including Muslims and students CAA is against Muslim minorities, it is unfair.”
The Center said the Act does not prevent any Muslim persecuted for practicing his religion in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh from applying for Indian citizenship.
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“The CAA does not repeal the naturalization laws. Therefore, any person, including Muslim immigrants from any foreign country, who wishes to become an Indian citizen can apply for it under the existing laws. This Act does not allow any Muslim to be persecuted. “Does not prevent people from practicing their version of Islam in those 3 Islamic countries, from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws,” the government said.
Also read: CAA ‘violates’ Indian Constitution: Netizens react to Center imposing Citizenship Amendment Act 2019
Earlier today, Union Minister Amit Shah said that this law is not to take away the citizenship of any person.
“Owaisi, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi are lying that minorities will lose their citizenship due to CAA,” he said at a rally in Hyderabad.
He said, “I assure that there is no provision in the CAA to take away anyone’s citizenship.”
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Published: March 12, 2024, 10:38 pm IST
