New Law, Branded ‘Anti-Muslim,’ Stirs Debate Ahead of Upcoming Elections
New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put into effect a contentious citizenship law on Monday, drawing criticism for its perceived favoritism towards certain communities and its potential impact on the Muslim population. The Bharatiya Janata Party‘s move is seen in the context of the upcoming elections in India.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) offers Indian nationality to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who sought refuge in Hindu-majority India, citing religious persecution in Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan before December 31, 2014. Although enacted in December 2019, Modi’s government delayed its implementation due to protests and sectarian violence, resulting in casualties and injuries.
Rights groups and Muslim organizations express concerns about the law, coupled with a proposed national register of citizens, potentially leading to discrimination against India’s 200 million Muslims, the world’s third-largest Muslim population. Some fear the government might strip citizenship from Muslims lacking proper documents in border states.
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The Prime Minister’s office defends the move, citing it as a part of BJP’s 2019 manifesto and claiming it will provide persecuted individuals with citizenship in India. The Home Ministry emphasizes that the law aims to remove.
