The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the distribution of the first batch of citizenship certificates on Wednesday. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed over the certificates to 14 applicants in New Delhi, marking a significant step in the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules. The ministry stated that physical certificates were distributed to 14 individuals in Delhi, while digitally signed certificates were sent to other applicants via email.
The rules were enacted in December 2019, granting Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Despite the enactment, the rules were only issued this year.
The government received applications from individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from the aforementioned countries who had entered India by December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution or fear thereof.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, later passed by Parliament, sparked significant controversy upon its introduction in 2019. Critics argued that the law discriminated against Muslims and could be used to marginalize them in conjunction with a proposed citizenship registry. However, political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reassured citizens that no one would face inconvenience or difficulty.
The implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules signifies the government’s efforts to provide citizenship to eligible non-Muslim migrants who have faced persecution. The move is expected to impact a substantial number of individuals who have been seeking Indian citizenship for several years.
