The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken a significant step towards fulfilling the promises of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by notifying the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, on March 11, 2024. This move is poised to benefit nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities who faced religious persecution in their home countries.
Under the amended rules, migrants who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution will be eligible for expedited Indian citizenship. Previously, applicants had to reside in India for a minimum of 11 years before qualifying for citizenship, a requirement now reduced to five years.
In a bid to streamline the naturalization process further, the Home Ministry launched a dedicated web portal on Tuesday, facilitating applications from persecuted individuals of six minority communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. This initiative aims to provide relief to those facing religious persecution and expedite their integration into Indian society.
The significance of this amendment was underscored by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who expressed on X, “These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation. With this notification, PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has delivered on another commitment and realized the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians living in those countries.”
While the amended law promises a swifter pathway to citizenship, the ground reality often presents challenges for applicants. Despite possessing the requisite documentation, many individuals encounter delays and bureaucratic hurdles, enduring lengthy processes at police stations and government offices.
In Pune, a city that has welcomed around 500 Sindhi-Hindu families from Pakistan over the past three decades, approximately 120 families are still awaiting Indian citizenship. The Pune district administration has processed 287 out of 324 citizenship applications received in the last six years, with 18 applications pending and 19 rejected due to documentation discrepancies.
Among the pending applications, nine await intelligence bureau reports, six await approval from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, and three await acceptance letters. These hurdles underscore the need for continued efforts to streamline the citizenship application process and ensure timely justice for persecuted minorities seeking refuge in India.
