The Indian government has unveiled regulations to enact the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), just weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bid for an unprecedented third term for his Hindu nationalist administration.
Enacted in 2019 by Modi’s government, the contentious law allows Indian citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from neighbouring countries of India.
Under the law, Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who fled to predominantly Hindu India from primarily Muslim Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan before December 31, 2014, are eligible for citizenship.
Critics have labeled the law “anti-Muslim,” arguing that it excludes the Muslim community from its purview, raising concerns about the secular nature of the world’s largest democracy.
Following nationwide protests over its passage in December 2019, Modi’s government had not drafted the rules for the law.
Violence erupted in the capital, New Delhi, during the protests, resulting in numerous casualties, with most being Muslims, and hundreds injured during days of unrest.
“The Modi government announces implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act,” stated a government spokesperson, according to a Reuters report on Monday.
“It was an integral part of BJP’s 2019 [election] manifesto. This will pave [the] way for the persecuted to find citizenship in India,” the spokesperson added, referring to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Muslim groups argue that the law, coupled with a proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), could lead to discrimination against India’s 200 million Muslims – the world’s third-largest Muslim population. They fear the government may strip citizenship from Muslims without proper documentation in border states.
However, the government refutes allegations of anti-Muslim bias and defends the law, asserting that it is necessary to aid minorities facing persecution in Muslim-majority nations.
It maintains that the law aims to grant citizenship rather than revoke it from anyone and dismisses previous protests as politically motivated.
Human rights organizations have accused the Modi administration of escalating mistreatment of Muslims since Modi assumed office in 2014.
During Modi’s tenure, the country has witnessed a surge in attacks targeting Muslims and their livelihoods, including the destruction of Muslim residences and assets.
Incidents of mob violence under the pretext of protecting cows, considered sacred by some Hindus, have also risen during Modi’s leadership.
Critics argue that armed cow vigilantes, previously operating on the margins of society, have gained prominence since the BJP came to power.
Reports of hate speech against Muslims have also surged in the country, averaging nearly two anti-Muslim hate speech incidents per day in 2023.
A report revealed that three out of four hate speech incidents occurred in states governed by the BJP.