What's the hullabaloo over the citizenship act?

While deploring the crackdown on Citizenship (Amendment) Act protesters, I cannot for the life of me understand the hysteria over the measure. Cities erupted in violence, universities were in ferment, chief ministers on the rampage. Suicides were blamed on the new law. Yet, it is no more than a gesture of humanity. It isn’t even new. Whatever the legal position, it is my understanding that in practice, the Indian authorities have always treated Hindu refugees from Pakistan and Bangladesh far more sympathetically than Muslims.
 
If India doesn’t rescue them, who will? India was divided on religious lines. This is