– The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) aims to protect individuals who have sought refuge in India due to religious persecution. – It offers a shield against illegal migration proceedings for specific religious minorities from neighboring countries.
– To be eligible for Indian citizenship under the CAA, applicants must have entered India on or before December 31, 2014. – Currently, Indian citizenship is granted to those born in India or who have lived in the country for at least 11 years.
– The CAA specifically targets non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. – It includes Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and Hindus who faced persecution in these countries
– Leading opposition parties argue that the CAA is discriminatory as it excludes Muslims. – The gov.ernment maintains that since the mentioned countries are Islamic republics with Muslim majorities, Muslims cannot be considered persecuted minorities
– The entire process for granting citizenship will be conducted online. – Applicants won’t be asked for any documents; they need to disclose the year they entered India without proper documentation.