Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma disclosed that despite the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules being notified four months ago, only eight individuals have applied for citizenship under the amended law in the state. Out of these applicants, only two have attended their interviews, highlighting the low uptake of the citizenship provisions.
Sarma also criticized how leaders of the anti-CAA protests exaggerated, claiming that up to 50 lakh illegal immigrants could obtain citizenship under the amended law.
Citizenship has long been a contentious issue in Assam, known for its history of anti-outsider movements. The state witnessed significant unrest in 2019 with widespread anti-CAA protests, tragically resulting in the deaths of five individuals.
The CAA, passed by the Central Government in 2019, aims to fast-track Indian citizenship for persecuted minorities—Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians—from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
“Anybody (according to the CAA) who has came to India before 2015, has the first right to apply for citizenship. If they don’t apply, we will initiate a case against them. So, this is a statutory instruction. We will deport those who have arrived after 2015,” emphasized Sarma.
Q. What is Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)?
A. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is a law passed by the Indian Parliament in December 2019. The primary objective of the CAA is to provide a pathway to Indian citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from three neighboring countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
the more controversial the act, the more it is talked about. this CAA has taken a toll on many protestors.