Watch: Pakistani refugees in Jodhpur celebrate as Citizenship Amendment Act is implemented across India

Pakistani refugees in Jodhpur celebrated the implementation of the CAA in India. The CAA makes a provision for granting citizenship of India to undocumented non-Muslim migrants – Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians – from countries like Bangladesh, Afghanistan and even Pakistan.

Jodhpur: In a major announcement, the central government on Monday announced the notification of rules to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act. The CAA was passed by Parliament and approved by the President in 2019, but has stalled amid mass protests across the country. It could not come into effect because the rules had not yet been announced. Pakistani refugees living in Jodhpur celebrated the implementation of the CAA in the country. They set off fireworks and raised a pro-Modi slogan such as ‘Modi hai to Mumkin Hai’.

#WATCH | Rajasthan: Pakistani refugees in Jodhpur are celebrating after the Center announced the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. pic.twitter.com/zAvyHJ2ooO

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2024

In particular, the Centre’s decision to announce rules for implementation of CAA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections has raised questions among Opposition parties. Several parties doubt the timing of the announcement.

The CAA makes a provision for granting citizenship of India to undocumented non-Muslim migrants – Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians – from countries like Bangladesh, Afghanistan and even Pakistan.

On December 27, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the implementation of the CAA cannot be stopped as it stands as the law of the land. He had also accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of misleading the public on the issue.
Earlier, during a party meeting in Calcutta, Shah emphasized that the BJP was committed to the implementation of the CAA. The TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, is opposing the CAA.

The certainty of implementation of the much-discussed CAA was a key electoral agenda for the BJP during the previous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Leaders of the ruling party at the Center consider it a credible factor contributing to the rise of the BJP in the state
Under the Citizenship Act of 1955, Indian citizenship by registration or naturalization is granted to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in nine states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra . It is noteworthy that the authorities in the districts of Assam and West Bengal, both politically sensitive regions in this regard, have not yet been authorized by these citizenship granting authorities.

(With input from the agency).