The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a US-based advocacy group, welcomed the formal notification of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India and said that the decision is a ‘big win’ for the persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
“A big win for HumanRights for the persecuted religious #minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. India finally notifies the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019!,” the CoHNA said in a post on X.
A big win for #HumanRights for the persecuted religious #minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. India finally notifies the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019!
A reminder – #CAA has NO impact on existing Indian citizens… pic.twitter.com/QecebYMGH3
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) March 11, 2024
CoHNA clarified that the rules laid out by the CAA wouldn’t affect the existing Indian citizens of any faith but would streamline the citizenship process for religious minorities who fled persecution in the aforementioned countries.
The group specified that the CAA expedites citizenship for religious minorities, approximately 31,000 individuals, without impacting the current Indian citizens. It shed light on the severe conditions in Pakistan, where minor girls from minority communities are abducted, forcibly converted, and married to abductors, prompting families to seek refuge in India.
Additionally, the group shared that it had run an education and advocacy campaign on the CAA in 2020 to counter the fake propaganda being pushed on the topic (with 8 cities passing resolutions against). It urged US and Canadian residents to educate themselves and others around them about the CAA rules. “To prevent the spread the of misinformation A, we urge residents of US and Canada to educate themselves and others around them. Our CAA page offers comprehensive resources,” the CoHNA said.
On CAA notification, African-American actress and singer Mary Millben wrote on X, “This is a pathway towards peace. This is a true act of democracy. As a Christian, woman of faith, and global advocate for religious freedom, I applaud the Modi-led government announcing today the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act now granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.”
“This is a pathway towards peace. This is a true act of democracy.”
As a Christian, woman of faith, and global advocate for religious freedom, I applaud the Modi-led government announcing today the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act now granting Indian nationality… pic.twitter.com/72Bmb6pX0c
— Mary Millben (@MaryMillben) March 11, 2024
Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Executive Director Suhag Shukla said that CAA was “long overdue and necessary”, as it protects some of the most vulnerable refugees in India, granting them the human rights they were denied in their home country.
Shukla said that CAA mirrors the long-established Lautenberg Amendment in the US, in place since 1990, which has provided a clear immigration path for persons fleeing a select group of nations where religious persecution is rampant.
“I’m proud to see both the oldest and largest secular democracies in the world — the US and India — be a beacon of hope by extending a pathway to freedom and a new life to those who have suffered gross human rights violations simply because of their religion,” she added.
“The CAA does not alter the rights of any Indian citizen nor does it establish any religious test for general immigration or exclude Muslims from immigrating to India, as is sometimes wrongly said and reported,” HAF said in a statement.
“Muslims often have more rights in Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, where there are constitutional discriminations against non-Muslims,” the Hindu Forum Canada said.
London-based Hindu advocacy group said: “This is a reflection of India’s commitment to religious freedom and equality, integral to its secular fabric.”
These rules, called the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, will enable the persons eligible under CAA-2019 to apply for the grant of Indian citizenship. The applications will be submitted in a completely online mode for which a web portal has been provided, stated MHA.
The CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants–including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians–who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
Despite notable protests following the CAA’s passage in 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed its implementation, and the rules were officially notified on March 11 after a delay.
Over the last two years, district magistrates and home secretaries in nine states have been authorized to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from the specified countries under the Citizenship Act of 1955.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ report for 2021-22, 1,414 individuals from non-Muslim minority communities were granted Indian citizenship between April 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. The Citizenship Act of 1955 allows citizenship by registration or naturalization for non-Muslim minorities in specific states. Notably, authorities in Assam and West Bengal have not been granted citizenship-granting powers.
