India has vehemently disagreed with US criticism of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 implementation, claiming that it is an internal affair and calling the US remark “misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted.”
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed on Friday that the CAA seeks to provide citizenship to marginalized people from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.
Understanding the contentious CAA
The contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA), which aims to grant citizenship to persecuted minority in our neighboring nations who came to India, was in limbo for more than four years before the Union Government issued the guidelines for its implementation on March 11.
The intriguing thing is that running away from is not mentioned in either the Act or the Rules.
Implementation of the CAA, a key issue for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has faced backlash due to perceived discrimination.
Protests occurred at Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh, and opposition in Assam began after March 11.
In response, numerous applications have been filed to the court seeking a stay on both the Act and the Rules, with petitioners including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi joined the list of petitioners.
However, the Supreme Court will hear petitions related to the CAA and the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules of 2024 on March 19. The decision was made after senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter on behalf of the IUML, highlighting the urgency of the matter.
The petitions present arguments such as discrimination against Muslims and violations of the Assam Accord of 1985, which aimed to protect the state’s indigenous population and culture. The Supreme Court will also consider applications seeking a stay on the Rules.
India Slams the US over CAA criticism
India condemned as “misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted” the US statements on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Friday.’
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a press conference that “as you are well aware, the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 is an internal matter of India and is in keeping with India’s inclusive traditions and a long-standing commitment to human rights.”
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act’s notice in India alarmed the United States, which stated on Thursday that it was closely monitoring its implementation.
According to the MEA spokeswoman, the CAA handles statelessness, upholds human rights, and gives citizenship—not takes it away.
All Indian people are guaranteed the freedom of religion by the country’s constitution. There is no justification for treating minorities differently or with concern. Vote bank politics shouldn’t influence opinions on a commendable program to assist individuals in need, according to Jaiswal.
He continued by saying that the US should not provide any lectures since it has little knowledge of India’s diverse traditions and the post-partition history of the area. “India’s allies and well-wishers ought to applaud the intention behind this action,” he stated. Before the general elections on Monday, the Central government informed CAA, four years after it was approved by Parliament.
