CAA Full Form: CAA full form is The Citizenship Amendment Act. CAA has been an issue of controversy, debate and discourse in various forms of media. This article attempts to explore the meaning of the CAA, its history, implications and the reaction that has created a stir in the social and political spheres.
What is the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)?
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is an amendment to the Citizenship Act of 1955, recently passed by the Government of India. The amendment to the criteria relates to changes in the eligibility of people to obtain citizenship. With even greater impetus, the CAA speeds up the granting of Indian citizenship to other persecuted religious minorities from its three neighbours: Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Major provisions of CAA
“The Bill further amends the definition of illegal immigrants in the Indian Citizenship Act, who are considered to be those who have entered India without travel documents and overstayed the period of lawful stay. In this context, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians are not illegal immigrants if they enter before December 31, 2014.” In addition, the bill also reduces the mandatory residence period for these groups who are seeking naturalization, from 11 years to five years.
Logic behind CAA
It is said that the bill will provide some form of assistance to millions of persecuted refugees who have nowhere else to go but India, noting that “India” is the only surviving example that can do so. The Indian government approves the CAA on humanitarian grounds, as it plans to grant asylum and citizenship to minorities who have faced religious persecution in their home countries. This Act, by providing fast track citizenship to the above cadres, will provide some semblance of security and belonging in the national fabric of India.
When was CAA implemented?
The Citizenship Amendment Act was passed in the Parliament of India in December 2019. It was to become law after being signed by the President and approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Public reactions and criticisms
Since its announcement, and its passage in Parliament, the CAA has sparked a lot of agitations and demonstrations across India. Critics are coming forward saying that this Act is exclusionary for Muslims and destroys the principle of secularism of the Indian Constitution. Fears are also being expressed that if the CAA is linked with the proposed National Register of Citizens, it will further marginalize Muslim communities.
Legal and constitutional challenges
Furthermore, several petitions were filed to reach the apex court and raise the constitutionality of the CAA. Opponents argue that the Act violates the equality provisions of Article 14 of the Constitution by discriminating on the basis of religion.
Government’s stand and clarification
In response to such criticism, the Government of India reiterates that the CAA has no bearing on the citizenship of Indian citizens, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. He says that this Act is only related to the support of the persecuted religious minorities of these countries. Looking Ahead The passage of the CAA has never proved to be one of the most hotly debated controversies in the world. For once, the Constitution of India has been brought under contest, an example of this being the CAA and the wait for its implementation which is a gray area for the time being before a decision is reached on that front.
Looking Forward
The debate around the CAA has highlighted some key limitations and questions on citizenship: national identity; Humanitarian versus national security antennae. Well, the Citizenship Amendment Act is a very important Act and there are a lot of controversies associated with it. The Citizenship Amendment Act has some humanitarian connotations, meaning that it is meant to give special protection to oppressed minorities. The principles of its boycott have sparked great debate over what it could do to India’s secular ethos. As India passed the test, the world watched with bated breath as it actually mattered to a world beyond India, rooted in an agenda of equality, secularism and human rights.
