AZAMGARH, UTTAR PRADESH – In a significant announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a public meeting in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, declared that the process of granting Indian citizenship to refugees has commenced under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The Prime Minister emphasized that these individuals have been residing in India for a considerable period. “They are those who had to endure the consequences of the country’s partition based on religion,” he said.
PM Modi took a dig at the Congress party for their inaction towards these individuals. He stated, “Those who ascend to power in the name of Mahatma Gandhi but fail to recall his teachings… Congress never showed concern for these people, as they were not part of Congress’s vote bank.”
This announcement marks a pivotal step towards resolving the longstanding issue of refugees in India seeking citizenship rights. The Prime Minister’s statement signals a shift in the government’s approach towards refugees, with a focus on their assimilation into Indian society.
The CAA, enacted in 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. The act specifically caters to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from these countries, leading to controversy and nationwide protests.
The Prime Minister’s announcement is anticipated to have profound implications for the refugees residing in India, who have been awaiting recognition of their citizenship status.
