(Image source from: dailypioneer.com)

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which attained the President’s assent on December 12 aimed in providing citizenship to the non-Muslim communities I.e., Hindus, Christians, Buddists, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains from the three neighbouring countries being Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have experienced religious persecution there and have entered India on or before 31 December 2014.

The centre has announced on Friday, that the Citizenship Amendment act will come into force from January 10.

In a gazette notification, the Union home ministry said the act under which non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan were given citizenship of India, will come into force from January 10.

                       (Image source from: aajtak.intoday.in)

The notification said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of the section 1 of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (47 of 2019), the Central government hereby appoints the 10th day of January, 2020, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.”

There have been widespread protests across the country regarding the act being passed. The people opposing say that it is for the first time that India will be granting citizenship on the basis of religion as it violates the constitution of India.

However, the BJP leaders and the supports say that, the only option left for the religious minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan is not come to India as they have been facing religious persecution there.

By Shrithika Kushangi