Published 06:51 IST, December 19th 2019
CAA explained: MHA spokesperson clarifies assertions regarding the Act
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) took to the microblogging website Twitter on Wednesday evening and explained the provisions of CAA
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The Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson took to the microblogging site Twitter on Wednesday evening and explained the provisions of Citizenship (Amendment) Act. MHA explained how CAA is not applicable to any Indian citizen and clarified a few other assertions regarding the Act. The spokesperson also explained how the Act provides citizenship to the minority communities persecuted in foreign countries.
MHA explains CAA
Citizenship of India can be acquired by Birth, descent, registration, naturalisation or incorporation of territory.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
Any foreigner on becoming eligible can acquire citizenship by registration or by naturalisation irrespective of his country or community.#CAA2019#CAB2019
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#CAA2019 enables foreigners of 6 minority communities from 3 countries to apply for citizenship on basis of religious persecution
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
It does NOT amend any existing legal provision which enables any foreigner to apply for Indian citizenship through registration/naturalisation.
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The CAA does NOT apply to Indian citizens.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
They are completely unaffected by it. #CAA2019 #CitizenshipAmendmentAct2019 #CAA
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Statistic related to citizenship
Talking about how the minority communities from the foreign countries have been given citizenship in India in the last six years the spokesperson further listed down a few important numbers. The statement also added that the majority communities, if required, will continue getting Citizenship in India provided they follow the eligibility criteria. MHA also highlighted how time and again India has given citizenship to refugees living in India.
In the last 6 years, 2830 Pakistani, 912 Afghani & 172 Bangladeshi citizens have been given Indian citizenship.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
Many of them are from majority community of these countries.#CAA2019
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Such migrants of the majority community of neighboring countries shall continue to get Indian citizenship if they fulfil the eligibility conditions already provided in the law for registration or naturalisation.#CAA2019
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
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On different occasions special provisions have been made by Government in the past to accommodate the citizenship of foreigners who had to flee to India.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
E.g. 4.61 lakh Tamils of Indian origin were given Indian citizenship during 1964-2008.#CAA2019
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‘CAA does not target any religious communities’
The CAA does not target any religious community from abroad.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
It only provides a mechanism for some migrants who may otherwise have been called “illegal” depriving them of opportunity to apply for Indian citizenship provided they meet certain conditions.#CAA2019
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'Protecting the interests of indigenous people'
#CAA2019 protects the interests of the tribals & indigenous people of North East by excluding areas under 6th Schedule and areas covered by Inner Line Permit.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 18, 2019
Therefore, there is no question of any influx of foreigners swamping the indigenous population.
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Anti-CAA protests by students
The protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 took a violent turn in the national capital and other parts of the country on Sunday. The students of Jamia Millia Islamia University claimed that the police baton-charged them when they were holding a peaceful protest. Protestors allegedly torched several public buses and police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends' Colony near Jamia University during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act, leaving six cops and two firemen injured, officials said.
After the student and police clash, a few students were detained. The Delhi Minorities Commission issued an emergency order to the SHO Kalkaji Police Station to release the injured students of Jamia Millia Islamia University or to take them without any delay for treatment to a hospital. Some Congress leaders including Arvinder Singh Lovely, Choudhary Mateen Ahmed, and Shoaib Iqbal reached friends colony police station to meet detained Jamia students.
06:30 IST, December 19th 2019