The Home Ministry notified the rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 on Monday. The CAA paves the way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014. These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.
The announcement of the implementation of the CAA drew sharp reactions from the Opposition camp.
The biggest opposition party Congress linked the announcement to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Party leader Jairam Ramesh said the notification is the Bhartiya Janata Party's move to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam.
Asaduddin Owaisi's reaction
AIMIM chief also linked the move to the upcoming elections sayin the CAA is divisive and based on Godse’s thought that wanted to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens.
"Aap chronology samajhiye, pehle election season aayega phir CAA rules aayenge. Our objections to CAA remain the same. CAA is divisive & based on Godse’s thought that wanted to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens," he posted on X.
Give asylum to anyone who is persecuted but citizenship must not be based on religion or nationality, Owaisi added.
"The govt should explain why it kept these rules pending for five years and why it’s implementing it now. Along with NPR-NRC, CAA is meant to only target Muslims, it serves no other purpose. Indians who came out on the streets to oppose CAA NPR NRC will have no choice but to oppose it again," he said.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the move asking when the citizens of the country are forced to go out for livelihood, what will happen by bringing 'citizenship law' for others.
"When the citizens of the country are forced to go out for livelihood, what will happen by bringing 'citizenship law' for others? The public has now understood the BJP's game of politics of distraction. The BJP government should explain why lakhs of citizens gave up their citizenship of the country during their 10 years of rule," he posted on X in Hindi.
Will oppose CAA: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said she would oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) if it discriminates against groups of people. The CM asserted the CAA and the NRC are sensitive to West Bengal and the Northeast, adding she does not want unrest before the Lok Sabha elections.
"Let me be very clear that we will oppose anything that discriminates people. Let them bring out the rules, then we will speak on the issue after going through the rules," she said while addressing a hurriedly called press conference at the state secretariat in Kolkata.
Mayawati questions timing of CAA implementation
BSP chief and former UP chief minister Mayawati said the law would have been implemented after addressing people's concerns.
"Instead of implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act now, right before the elections, it would have been better for the Central government to implement it only after completely removing the doubts, confusion and apprehensions that people have regarding it," she posted on X in Hindi.
