Curated By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar
Last Updated: March 12, 2024, 12:09 IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
The CoHNA, a US-based advocacy group, thanked the government for implementing the CAA. (Image: PTI File)
The group said it also ran an advocacy campaign in 2020 to educate American and Canadian citizens about the CAA.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a US-based advocacy group, on Monday (local time), said the decision to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India is a ‘big win’ for persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan following the formal notification of the government.
A big win for #HumanRights for the persecuted religious #minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. India finally notifies the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019!A reminder – #CAA has NO impact on existing Indian citizens… pic.twitter.com/QecebYMGH3
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) March 11, 2024
“A big win for HumanRights for the persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. India finally notified the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019,” the US-based advocacy group said.
“A reminder – CAA has NO impact on existing Indian citizens of any faith. It simply fast-tracks the Indian citizenship process for approximately 31,000 religious minorities who fled Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in the face of extreme and systemic persecution,” the CoHNA said.
The CoHNA also pointed out that the regulations will not affect existing Indian citizens of any faith and would fast-track the Indian citizenship process for religious minorities who fled Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
It also said that it organised an education and advocacy campaign on the CAA in 2020 in a bid to counter what it termed ‘fake propaganda’ being circulated on the issue. Eight cities in the US passed resolutions against it.
The group also urged US and Canadian residents to educate themselves regarding the rules of the CAA. “To prevent the spread of misinformation, we urge residents of the US and Canada to educate themselves and others around them. Our CAA page offers comprehensive resources,” it reiterated.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the rules under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA-2019) on Monday.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, will allow people eligible under the CAA-2019 to apply for Indian citizenship.
These rules were introduced by the Narendra Modi government and aim to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants who came from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014.
The applications for citizenship will be submitted online through a dedicated web portal provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs report for 2021-22, from April 1 to December 31, 2021, 1,414 individuals from non-Muslim minority communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were granted Indian citizenship through registration or naturalisation under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The Citizenship Act of 1955 allows non-Muslim minorities from these countries to obtain Indian citizenship through registration or naturalisation in nine states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra.
