1. Fourteen individuals received citizenship certificates under the CAA, signifying a notable milestone.
2. The issuance occurred about two months post the Centre’s notification of the CAA rules.
3. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla presented the certificates to the recipients.
New Delhi, May 15: The issuance of the first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) marked a significant milestone, with 14 individuals receiving their certificates on Wednesday.
This event comes nearly two months after the Centre notified the rules governing the implementation of the CAA.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the rules on March 11, four years after the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act by Parliament in December 2019.
The CAA provides a fast-track pathway to Indian citizenship for minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, after processing their applications online, 14 individuals were presented with their citizenship certificates by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
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The CAA amends the Citizenship Act of 1955 to extend citizenship rights to migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian communities who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in their home countries.
The legislation has sparked widespread debate and protests across India.
मोदी की गारंटी…वादा पूरा होने की गारंटी।
आज का दिन बहुत ही ऐतिहासिक दिन है। आज दशकों का इंतजार समाप्त हुआ है और CAA के माध्यम से पाकिस्तान, बांग्लादेश और अफगानिस्तान से धार्मिक प्रताड़नाओं के कारण भारत आए हिंदू, सिख, बौद्ध, जैन, पारसी और ईसाई बहनों-भाइयों को भारत की नागरिकता…
— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) May 15, 2024
In March, the Kerala government led by Pinarayi Vijayan moved the Supreme Court against the implementation of the CAA, arguing that it violated the fundamental principles of the Constitution.
Last month, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram announced plans to repeal the CAA in the first session of Parliament after the formation of the INDIA bloc government at the Centre.
However, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government has staunchly defended the implementation of the legislation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the purpose of the CAA in a tweet, stating that it would enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in India.
Despite ongoing debates and protests, the issuance of citizenship certificates represents a tangible step forward in the implementation of the CAA.
