The Citizenship Amendment Act, or CAA, is a law passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019. It aims to amend the country’s citizenship laws, defines illegal immigrants and lays down the rules and prerequisites for applying for Indian citizenship. It allows minorities of six communities, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, from India’s neighboring countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh — who entered India before 31 December 2014 to get citizenship more easily on the grounds of religious persecution.
Another important thing which i would like to clarify, i do not think that the hindus of pakistan will come to india ,leaving aside their properties,occupations and deep attachment of their motherland,and even if a few may come ,maybe the poor class of Hindus.Same with afghanistan or bangla desh.Maybe some peasents may come up here.
In legal terminology it is said ‘Settled things should not be unsettled’.It is this law which needs to be relooked into,as Modi goverment is experimenting on important national issues, by unsettling them. Even if Hindutva is brought forward and India is made or called a hindu nation [It allready is a hindu nation], whether india can survive on the plank of Hindutva forever.It is quite possible prime minister Modi does not know art of reforms,and to hide his failure has adopted Hindutva as his couch and identity.My view is without Reforms india is doomed.Allready the effects are showing up, with a downsliding economy. Justice chalmeshwar in his dissenting judgement in the judges appointment commisson bill had categorically stated that comprehensive reforms are a must and India should not be late.All around, ,Reforms have taken countries forward,whereas india is lagging behind much.I request learned editor to highlight the same.Thanks
I agree with the author that over-indulgence in history is harmful. We must focus on today’s issues and challenges. CAA is a gross mis-calculation and a blunder. It’s timing is wrong and the impact deleterious for the nation consisting of multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic segments. This is totally undesirable when our country is passing through a severe economic slowdown. Now, what differentiates India from Pakistan? Undoubtedly, the social harmony and economic growth story. If the growth story is halted, we lose our reputation and respect. Even more harmful than the CAA could be the implementation of pan-NRC. It is an unwieldy, costly and divisive exercise. I request the government to pause and reconsider. At the the same time, let us not pretend that problem of illegal immigration doesn’t exist. Illegal immigration has taken place due to negligent approach. In this respect, Congress is to be blamed, as it actively encouraged free flow of immigration from Bangla Desh to suit its vote-bank politics. Congress is the genesis of Assam’s demographic crisis. They can’t shift the blame elsewhere.
In my view, right to reside and right of citizenship are two different matters. While the immigrants could be given right to reside on humanitarian basis, whether they are entitled for citizenship, irrespective of their religion, is a moot point.