Page 2 - Citizenship Bill

CAA: A fading story

For BJP, CAA was strategic move that did not quite work out because those it would benefit could've been accommodated under existing laws, and new entrants would remain excluded

Supreme Court agrees to hear pleas seeking stay on implementation of CAA

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear pleas seeking a direction to the Centre to stay the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024 till the pendency of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 before the apex court. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Indian Union Muslim League, that once the citizenship is granted to migrant Hindus, it cannot be taken back and hence the issues needed an early hearing. We will hear this on Tuesday. There are 190 plus cases. All of them will be heard. We will place a full batch with the IAs (Interim applications), the CJI said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said there were 237 petitions and in those pending ones, four interim applications have been filed against the implementation of the rules. The applications were filed

Concerned about CAA, closely monitoring its implementation, says US

The United States on Thursday said it is concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in India and is closely monitoring its implementation. We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily briefing. We are closely monitoring how this act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles, Miller said in response to a question. The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on Monday, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoy

CAA unconstitutional, challenge to idea of India; Cong silent: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that the Citizenship Amendment Act was unconstitutional, against human rights, and poses a challenge to the idea of India and accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party of staying silent on the issue. Vijayan, at a press conference here, alleged that the contentious legislation grants legal validity to religious discrimination, but the Congress was withdrawing from a united front against the CAA. In addition, the CM said, the Congress and its national president Mallikarjun Kharge were yet to comment on the recent notification of the CAA rules. He said that the only reaction from the Congress was that by Jairam Ramesh, party general secretary and in-charge of communications, questioning why the rules were hurriedly notified now more than four years after the legislation was passed by the Parliament. Vijayan contended that despite the lack of support from the Congress, the Kerala government will neither bend nor keep sil

People misled over CAA, nobody's citizenship to be snatched: Rajnath

Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said people are being misled over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, asserting that the legislation would not take away the citizenship of anyone living in India. Addressing a rally in Assam's Barpeta, he said the CAA will grant citizenship to religiously persecuted people who came to India till 2014 from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Singh was campaigning for BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad's candidate Phani Bhusan Choudhury, who is contesting the Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency, currently being represented by Congress MP Abdul Khaleque. "The people are being misled over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act... I assure you that this Act will not take away the citizenship of any people. It would only grant citizenship," the defence minister said. The Centre on Monday implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, notifying the rules four years after the law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migran

Hindu, Sikh refugees protest against Kejriwal over his comments against CAA

Hindu and Sikh refugees living in various parts of Delhi staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence here on Thursday, demanding an apology from him over his statements against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The protesters assembled near the Chandgiram Akhara and attempted to march towards Kejriwal's bungalow, but were stopped by police. "The Narendra Modi government is giving us citizenship while Kejriwal is asking who will give us jobs and houses. He does not understand our pain," said Panjuram, one of the protesters. The protesters said Kejriwal should withdraw his statements against the CAA and refugees and tender an apology. Hindu and Sikh refugees living in Rohini, Adarsh Nagar, near Signature Bridge and Majnu ka Tilla took part in the protest. At a press conference on Wednesday, Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to settle poor people hailing from minority communities in Afghanistan, ..

Shah informing people about CAA from different platforms: Anurag Thakur

"Home Minister Amit Shah has been briefing people about the CAA from Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and other platforms that no one should get worried about it. It is a law that gives citizenship," he said

CAA insignificant in Assam, will have least applicants: CM Himanta

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday claimed that the CAA is completely insignificant in Assam, from where there will be the least number of applications for Indian citizenship. The Ministry of Home Affairs had on Tuesday launched a portal for people eligible to apply for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019. CAA is completely insignificant in Assam; the state will have the least number of applications on the portal, Sarma told a press conference here. The Union government had on Monday implemented the CAA, notifying the rules to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. Sarma said the act is very clear that the cut-off date for application of citizenship is December 31, 2014, and in Assam, with the updation of the National Register of Citizens, people who applied for it and did not find their names in that list, will only apply for CAA. The CM

Govt notified CAA rules a month before LS polls to polarise voters: Cong

On March 11, the Union Home Ministry notified rules for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)

CAA will never be taken back, says Amit Shah days after Centre notified

The Home Minister was critical of opposition leaders like AIMIM's Asaddudin Owaisi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for claiming that the CAA was anti-Muslim

Rahul Gandhi must publicly explain Congress' stand on CAA: HM Amit Shah

The Ministry of Home Affairs on March 11 notified CAA Rules, 2024, removing legal barriers to rehabilitation and citizenship to such persons, and will give a dignified life to refugees who have suffer

MHA to launch helpline number to assist applicants seeking info on CAA

The helpline number will be toll-free and applicants can call from anywhere in India to obtain information related to CAA-2019

Indian Muslims need not worry, CAA has nothing to do with them: Govt

Indian Muslims need not worry as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights as their Hindu counterparts, the Home Ministry asserted on Tuesday. The ministry sought to allay fears of a section of Muslims and students regarding the CAA, making it clear that "no Indian citizen would be asked to produce any document to prove his citizenship after this Act." The Centre on Monday notified the ruled for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. In its statement, the Home Ministry said, "Due to the persecution of minorities in those three Muslim countries, the name of Islam was badly tarnished all around the world. However, Islam, being a peaceful religion, never preaches or suggests hatred/violence/any persecution on religious ground." This Act "protects Islam fro

Indian Muslims need not worry about CAA, says Centre amid protests

A day after the rules for the implementation of the CAA were issued, the MHA launched a portal for submitting applications for eligible people to get Indian citizenship under the CAA

CAA linked to NRC, won't allow detention camps in West Bengal: CM Mamata

"The CAA is related to NRC, that is why we are opposing it. We don't want detention camps like those in Assam," she told reporters here

CAA implementation ahead of polls dirty vote bank politics of BJP: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was a "dirty vote bank politics" of the BJP and asserted that people want this law to be repealed. With this law, the BJP-led government at the Centre has opened the floodgates for the arrival of a large number of poor minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh into India, he said at a press conference. "There are 3.5 crore minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The BJP wants to spend the money of our people in settling poor migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh by giving them houses and jobs here," charged Kejriwal, who is also the Aam Aadmi Party national convener. He claimed that the BJP stands to gain in the coming elections as poor minorities from the neighbouring countries settling in India will become its vote bank. Implementation of the CAA ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was a "dirty vote bank politics" of the BJP, Kejriwal said. Th

CAA in line with promise given by founding fathers: Kerala Governor

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that his government will not implement CAA in the state

Cong organises dharna in front of Kerala Raj Bhavan against CAA enforcement

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday organised a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan here to protest against the Central government's decision to enforce the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. Addressing the dharna, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that the BJP-led government issued the CAA notification to divide the people along communal lines. "When the Congress was in power at the Centre, we brought several legislations to uplift the lives of the poor. But when the BJP came to power, they enacted laws to divide the people for political purposes," the Congress leader alleged. He said that the Congress will fight the law and there will be no compromise on it. Several leaders of the party, including UDF convenor and senior party leader M M Hassan, CWC member and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash, attended the function.

Stop demolition activities against Pak Hindu refugees: Delhi HC to DDA

The DDA was ordered to remove encroachments by the NGT from the Yamuna flood area

FAQs on CAA: What the govt says about application, eligibility, & more

The CAA application, made completely online requires country of origin, proof of religion, date of entry into India, and language proficiency. Here what the government's release on the CAA rules say