The Union government will soon find a way for people who do not have the required documents to apply for benefits under the Citizenship Amendment Act, (CAA), 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday.
The CAA facilitates the citizenship process for undocumented migrants belonging to six non-Muslim communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. However, according to the CAA Rules notified earlier this week, applicants will have to produce a clutch of documents which includes at least one document issued by a government authority in one of the three neighbouring countries.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Mr. Shah said that according to government estimates, 85% of the people seeking to apply under CAA have the required documents, adding that the government would soon find an alternative for those who do not have the requisite papers.
Also read: CAA implementation reactions, Live updates
Retrospective effect
Mr. Shah said that there was no official count as of now about the number of people getting citizenship under CAA, adding that a “lot of them” have applied for citizenship.
“Many people may hesitate to file an application due to the miscampaign going on against CAA. I want to assure everyone to apply and the citizenship will be given with retrospective effect. If you have entered India illegally, there will be no criminal case against you. There is no need for anyone to get scared. Everyone will be given equal rights as they will become citizens of India,” he said.
The CAA Rules reduce the qualification period of application for citizenship from 11 to five years for migrants who entered India before December 31, 2014.
Asked about the stand taken by the governments of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal that the CAA will not be implemented in those States, Mr. Shah said: “Article 11 of the Constitution gives all the powers to make rules regarding citizenship to the Parliament. This is the Centre’s subject, not the State’s. I think everyone will cooperate after the elections. They are spreading misinformation for appeasement politics,” he said.
