No Plans to Amend CAA Further to Include Other Minorities, Government Says

The government has no plans to amend the Citizenship Amendment Act to make other minorities from the neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan eligible for the Indian citizenship, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in response to a question from Rajya Sabha MP Abdul Wahab on Wednesday. “No such proposal is under consideration,” said Rai.

Wahab, the Indian Union Muslim League MP from Kerala, had asked whether the government was considering any further amendment to the citizenship act by including other minorities under the purview of the act.

Demands have been made in the past to include groups such as Sri Lankan Tamils and Pakistani Ahmadiyyas, facing persecution in their countries, to be included in the purview of CAA.

Rai also reiterated that the home ministry has sought more time to frame CAA rules. This means even those eligible under the CAA cannot apply for the Indian citizenship for now. “The committees on subordinate legislation, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been requested to grant extension of time up to 09.01.2022 to frame the rules under the CAA,” the minister said. “Eligible persons covered by this amendment act may submit applications for grant of citizenship after appropriate rules are notified by the central government,” he added.

This is the fourth time that the home ministry has sought an extension to frame the rules for CAA. The first extension was in October 2020 for three months, then in February and May, 2021 for another three months each and later, in July, for another six months.

Home minister Amit Shah had said the process to frame the CAA rules was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that the act will be implemented once the vaccination process is complete.

In response to a separate query, the ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that 4,046 applications were pending with state governments and 10 with the central government of Hindu families who have been living in India on the long-term visa for five years. These are persecuted families from neighbouring countries who could benefit once CAA rules are framed.

CAA provides citizenship to minorities from communities, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The law was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and was notified on January 10, 2020.

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