GUWAHATI: Union Minister Ajay Mishra on November 26 reportedly stated that the final draft of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, commonly referred to as CAA, is expected to be ready by March 30, 2024.
Speaking to media at a gathering of the Matua community in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, Mishra, a BJP MP, assured the community, which consists of individuals who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, that their citizenship rights are secure.
Addressing the crowd, Mishra stated, "The process to roll out CAA has gained momentum in the last couple of years... some issues are being sorted out. Nobody can snatch citizenship rights from the Matuas. By March next year, the final draft of the CAA is expected to be ready for coming into force," as reported by multiple media outlets. He was accompanied by local BJP MP and Union Minister Santanu Thakur during the event.
Despite the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in both Houses of Parliament in December 2019, the rules to implement the Act have not been framed to date. Such rules are typically formulated within six months after the President of India signs a law. The Union Home Ministry has sought multiple extensions to frame the CAA rules, as reported by various media outlets.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) was passed by the Parliament of India on December 11, 2019. It amended the Citizenship Act, 1955 by providing an accelerated pathway to Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Christians, and arrived in India before the end of December 31, 2014. The law however does not grant such eligibility to Muslims from the above-mentioned countries.
