MHA hands over first set of citizenship certificates under CAA to 14 people

New Delhi: Government on Wednesday granted citizenship under the contentious  Citizenship (Amendment) Act for the first time to 14 people, two months after rules were notified for the contentious law that omitted Muslims from neighbouring countries under its ambit.

The granting of citizenship under the CAA came in the midst of Lok Sabha elections, after four phases of voting were over. Three phases of polling are yet to be completed and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Home Minister Amit Shah called it a “historic day”, as Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla distributed the certificates to the 14 people, whose applications were processed online through a designated portal.

“Today the wait of decades has ended and through CAA, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian brothers and sisters who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution have started getting Indian citizenship. Today Narendra Modi-ji has fulfilled the promise made at the time of independence,” Shah said.

Expressing gratitude to Modi for “giving justice and rights to these people who suffered for decades”, he also assured his “refugee brothers and sisters” that the Modi government will give citizenship to every refugee through CAA.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, March 11, just days before the announcement of Lok Sabha elections. 

The rules envisage the manner of application form, procedure for processing applications by District Level Committee (DLC) and scrutiny and grant of citizenship by State Level Empowered Committee (EC). 

An official spokesperson said applications have been received from persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have entered into India up to 31 December, 2014 on account of persecution on grounds of religion or fear of such persecution.

The District Level Committees (DLCs) chaired by Senior Superintendents of Post/Superintendents of Post as designated officers, on successful verification of documents, have administered oath of allegiance to the applicants. After processing as per rules, DLCs have forwarded the applications to the State Level Empowered Committee headed by Director (Census operation).  Processing of application is completely done through the online portal, the spokesperson said.

The Empowered Committee, Delhi headed by Director (Census Operation), Delhi, after due scrutiny, have decided to grant citizenship to 14 applicants.  Accordingly, the Director (Census operation) granted certificates to these applicants, the official added.