The United States on Thursday expressed its apprehension regarding the notification of the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the US is closely observing the implementation of the act.
Speaking about the CAA implementation, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated: “We are concerned about the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Act. We are closely monitoring how this Act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles.”
#WATCH | On CAA implementation, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller says, “We are concerned about the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Act. We are closely monitoring
how this Act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the… pic.twitter.com/55Xhog4Itp
— ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2024
On Monday, the Central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) implemented the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a legislation facilitating citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. This action follows four years after the law was passed by Parliament in December 2019.
The notification of the Act prompted criticism from opposition leaders, who contended that the notified rules were “unconstitutional,” “discriminatory,” and breached the “secular principle of citizenship” outlined in the Constitution.
Opponents of the CAA also asserted that by excluding Muslims from its scope and tying citizenship to religious affiliation, the law undermines the secular values enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
However, the government has consistently stated that the CAA is focused on providing citizenship and assures that no citizen of the nation will forfeit their citizenship.
Speaking to the news agency ANI on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed that the CAA will not be repealed and emphasised that the BJP-led administration will not make any concessions regarding it.
“This is our sovereign right to ensure Indian citizenship in our country, we will never compromise on it and CAA will never be taken back,” Shah stated in an interview with ANI.