Kriti Agrawal
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s notification allowing people from minority communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, such as Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis, to apply for Indian citizenship.
Non-Muslim refugees including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who live in 13 districts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Punjab were invited to apply for Indian citizenship on Friday.
With Friday night’s order, the total number of districts with such a facility has increased to 29 in nine states.
Even though the regulations under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) introduced in 2019 are yet to be made by the government, the Union home ministry issued a notification to that effect for prompt implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Rules formed under the law in 2009.
When the CAA was passed in 2019, it sparked huge demonstrations across the country, resulting in confrontations and riots in Delhi in early 2020.
According to the CAA, non-Muslim persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian – who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, will be granted Indian citizenship.