16 May,2024 02:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Anurag Thakur. File Pic/PTI
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Wednesday, saying that the PM will enable the citizens of the country to get their identity.
Taking to his official X handle, Anurag Thakur posted, "Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian sisters and brothers who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan due to religious persecution have started getting Indian citizenship from today under the CAA law."
He added further, "This historic decision under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will enable crores of people suffering in the country for decades to get their identity. Modi's guarantee means the fulfilment of the guarantee."
After Anurag Thakur's post, the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal also took to his official X handle and posted, "Under the sensitive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from today, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian brothers and sisters who came to India after being persecuted in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have started getting the right to citizenship under CAA."
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Goyal added further, "On behalf of all refugee brothers, I wholeheartedly congratulate Modi Ji and assure him that every guarantee given by Modi Ji will continue to be fulfilled in this manner."
Central Government handed over the first set of citizenship certificates on Wednesday, over two months after notifying the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed over citizenship certificates to some applicants.
The Home Secretary congratulated the applicants and highlighted the salient features of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, as per an official statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The certificates were physically handed over to 14 applicants seeking citizenship, and digitally signed certificates have been issued to many other applicants through email.
The rules envisage 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), stated an official release.
In pursuance of these rules, 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 31.12.2014 on account of persecution on grounds of religion or fear of such persecution.
On March 11, the Union Home Ministry notified the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule.
The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants--including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians--who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
(With inputs from Agencies)
