Citizenship Amendment Act: The United Nations (UN) and the United States have expressed concerns over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Last Tuesday (12), the UN labeled the CAA discriminatory, while the United States stated it is closely monitoring the situation. During a special interview with Reuters, a spokesperson for the US Department of State stated, “We are troubled by the notification of the CAA issued on March 11. We are closely analyzing how it will be implemented.”
The spokesperson further added, “Respecting religious freedom and applying equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles. Not only that, human rights activists and organizations in India have also criticized the implementation of the CAA. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have portrayed the CAA as discriminatory against Muslims.”
It is worth mentioning that the current Indian government presented the CAA in Parliament in 2019. During this period, it passed successfully in both houses, although violent clashes were witnessed in several places. Despite this, the government remained firm on its decision. On March 11, following the Lok Sabha elections, the central government issued a notification regarding the law.
According to the Citizenship Amendment Act, people from neighboring countries Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, excluding Muslim communities, will be granted Indian citizenship, including Hindus and Sikhs among other religions.
