Controversial Indian Citizenship Law Enforced Ahead of Elections: Sparks Protests and Reshapes Political Landscape
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India has stirred controversy by deciding to enforce the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a law that had remained dormant since late 2019 due to violent protests. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) grants Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsees, and Christians from nearby countries, excluding Muslims. The announcement, strategically timed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s re-election campaign, aims to fulfill a promise and may impact electoral dynamics in districts with Hindu refugees benefiting from the law.
Although not expected to significantly alter India’s demographic landscape, the CAA underscores Modi’s ability to reshape the country, emphasizing a Hindu-first state. The law, dormant for over four years, faced massive protests, leading to deadly riots in February 2020. Critics argue the law is part of a broader anti-Muslim strategy, coupled with a national citizenship registry allowing the expulsion of undocumented residents.
India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) Enforcement Fuels Debate
The government defends the CAA as a humanitarian response to minority persecution in neighboring Muslim-majority countries. However, critics find the law arbitrarily selective, omitting persecuted Muslim groups like the Ahmadiyya and Shiites. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights deems the law “fundamentally discriminatory.”
The CAA’s enforcement has reignited protests across states, with reports of police crackdowns on demonstrators. Some lower-caste Hindus in West Bengal, who migrated from Bangladesh, welcome the law, potentially influencing parliamentary seats in favor of Modi’s majority. The CAA aims to streamline the national naturalization of Hindu refugees, notably from Pakistan, making their status more visible.
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