Protests have erupted across India against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), voicing concerns about discrimination against Muslims.
In Assam and Tamil Nadu, protesters expressed opposition to the CAA by burning copies of the law and rallying against its implementation. Opposition parties in Assam called for a statewide strike in protest.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) joined the dissent, organizing protests in Kerala against what they condemned as a “communal and divisive law.”
In Delhi, where significant protests against the CAA took place in 2019, authorities remained vigilant against potential violence, implementing measures to prevent unauthorized gatherings and bolstering police presence in sensitive areas.
The US government and the United Nations, on March 12 expressed apprehensions regarding the controversial religion-centric citizenship law, as per Reuters.
The UN labeled the legislation as “fundamentally discriminatory in nature,” while rights advocates like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International criticized the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act, implemented by the Indian government on March 11, for its alleged discrimination against Muslims.
The law signified a constitutional break, as it introduced a religious requirement for nationality for the first time in the history of this secular nation.
“It is morally and constitutionally wrong. Introducing religion as a criterion for citizenship goes against the principles of the Constitution. Throughout India’s history, citizenship has never been linked to religion,” pointed out MP Shashi Tharoor of the main opposition party.
Law explained
The Citizenship Amendment Act offers expedited naturalization pathways for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who sought refuge in Hindu-majority India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan prior to December 31, 2014, excluding Muslims, who constitute the majority in these nations.
This legislation also revises previous laws that barred illegal migrants from attaining Indian citizenship, marking the first instance where India, a secular nation with a diverse religious demographic, imposes religious criteria for citizenship.
The Indian government has established an online portal for eligible individuals to apply for Indian citizenship.
Why is Indian Citizenship Law controversial?
The new citizenship law in India stirred controversy due to concerns raised by critics, Muslim groups, and rights activists, who argued that the law provided protection to non-Muslims excluded from the register, while leaving Muslims vulnerable to deportation or internment, thus allegedly discriminating against them and undermining the country’s secular constitution.
Questions also rose regarding the exclusion of Muslims fleeing Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
In states like Assam, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) sparked worries about increased migration from neighboring Bangladesh, historically a regional flashpoint.
Conversely, some Muslims in Assam and West Bengal feared that the law, coupled with a proposed National Register of Citizens, could lead to the declaration of their status as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, potentially resulting in the loss of their citizenship.
India’s inconsistent policy towards refugees and asylum-seekers further complicates the matter. While the nation is not a signatory to the UN’s Refugee Convention, it treats refugees differently based on diplomatic relations and domestic politics.
India must sign the Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees to demonstrate its commitment to the persecuted and stop persecuting its own minorities,” Indira Jaising, an advocate, said.
“Failing this,” he added, “the CAA will be seen as a project to establish a Hindu nation.”
Despite criticism, Modi’s administration refutes claims of discrimination, portraying the law as a humanitarian measure aimed at offering refuge to religious minorities facing persecution, with assurances that it won’t be leveraged against Indian citizens.