Citizen Amendment Bill & Assam Accord demystified: A point-wise breakdown, including the grant of ST status to six Assam communities. Read here

The Citizenship Amendment Bill is set to be tabled in the Parliament and is currently being discussed in both the houses.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke extensively about the Bill and dispelled all misgivings about it. He gave details explaining eligibility for the migrants. He also ensured that there would be proper check and balances to ensure that security of the country is not compromised and that the Bill is applied to the entire country and the burden of migrants will not only be on the state of Assam.

He also spoke about several measures to implement the Assam Accord.

Here is a point-wise breakdown of Rajnath Singh's address in the where he demystifies the Bill and the Assam Accord:

1    Union Home Minister introduced the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 on Tuesday in Lok Sabha.
2    The Bill seeks to facilitate the acquisition of citizenship by six identified minority communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who came to India before 31st Dec., 2014.
3    Home Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the discrimination and religious persecution faced by these communities in these countries. They have no place to go to, except India. 
4    Migrants from these communities were earlier given protection against legal action in years 2015 & 2016. Long-term visa provision was made for them.
5    The proposed amendment will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for citizenship.  Citizenship will be given to them only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the State Government.
6    The minimum residency period for citizenship is being reduced from the existing 12 years under the present law to 7 years.  
7    The HM dispelled the misgivings about the Citizenship Amendment Act.  He clarified that

1. The Act is not confined to the State of Assam. 
2. The Act will also provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders of the country to States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other States. 
3. The Bill will apply to all States and Union Territories of the Country.
4. The beneficiaries of Citizenship Amendment Bill can reside in any state of the country.  
5. The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden.  
6. Government of India is committed to give all help to the State Government and people of Assam.

8    The present Government has taken several measures to implement the Assam Accord. 

1.  An important pillar of Assam Accord is clause 6 dealing with constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards for protection of cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of Assamese people.  MHA  has notified on 5th Jan., 2019 a High Level Committee consisting of eminent and knowledgeable persons from Assamese society with a very wide mandate to suggest such safeguards for protection of the Assamese identity, including reservation in the State Assembly and in jobs. The Committee will submit its report within six months.
2. Union Cabinet has also approved grant of ST status to Six Communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak. A Bill is being introduced in the current session of Parliament.
3. At the same time, full safeguards will be provided to protect the interests, rights & privileges of existing Scheduled Tribes of Assam.  

9    A separate Bill will be brought to grant ST status to Bodo Kacharis in Hill districts of Assam and Karbis in the rest of Assam. 
10    Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is also proposed to be amended to strengthen the Autonomous District Councils.

Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has tweeted about the Cabinets decision to grant ST status to Six Communities of Assam,saying, "Historic decision by PM @narendramodi ji to grant tribal status to 6 communities of Assam: Motoks, Morans, Chutia, Koch-Rajbangshi, Tai Ahom & Tea Tribes/Adibachi - as per RGI's & Schedule Tribes Commission recommendation. It reaffirms our Jati-Mati-Bheti slogan &  commitments."

ABOUT THE CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT BILL (2016):

The Cabinet approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill (2016) in the Lok Sabha on January 7. The bill grants Indian citizenship by naturalisation to communities such as Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs, fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Citizenship would be granted to those who have lived in India for six or more years. The government argued that the bill is intended to those 'escaping persecution' and not for economic migrants.

The Bill is likely to be moved in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.