The implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act is linked to the Covid-19 situation, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying in an exclusive interview to Network18’s Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi that there is “no question” on going back. On this.
The CAA, which facilitates grant of Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019 and received the President’s assent the next day. However, the law is yet to be implemented as the rules under the CAA are yet to be framed.
When asked when CAA will come into force, Amit Shah Said in the interview: “Until we are free from Covid-19, this cannot be a priority. We have seen three waves. We have seen three waves. Thankfully things are getting better, the third wave is waning. The decision is related to the situation of Kovid. But the question of going back from it does not arise. The question doesn’t arise.”
In January this year, the Union Home Ministry had approached parliamentary committees seeking more time to frame rules under the CAA.
According to the Manual on Parliamentary Business, rules for any law must be framed within six months of the assent of the President or extension sought from the Committees of Subordinate Legislation, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Since, the Home Ministry could not frame rules within six months of the implementation of the CAA, it sought time from the committees – first in June 2020 and then four more times.
The central government has already clarified that the eligible beneficiaries of CAA will be given only after the rules are notified under the Indian Citizenship Act.
The CAA aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Those from these communities who came to India till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants and will not be given Indian citizenship.
After the CAA was passed by the Parliament in 2019, the country witnessed widespread protests. Those opposing the CAA argued that it discriminates on the basis of religion and violates the Constitution. He also alleged that the CAA along with the National Register of Citizens is aimed at targeting the Muslim community in India.
Amit Shah, however, had rubbished the allegations and described the protests against the CAA as “mostly political”. He had insisted that no one would lose Indian citizenship because of the Act.
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