US Senator 'concerned' about CAA impact on Indian Muslims
A United States senator has expressed concern over the government notifying rules for the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. The lawmaker emphasized the importance of cooperation based on shared values of protecting human rights for all, regardless of religion, as the US-India relationship deepens. I am deeply concerned...particularly [about] the law's potential ramifications on...Muslim community... Making matters worse...it is being pushed during the holy month of Ramadan," Senator Ben Cardin, chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said.
Why does this story matter?
The CAA—enacted by the Parliament in 2019—intends to offer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived before December 31, 2014. On March 11, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the implementation of CAA, sparking nationwide debate. To recall, the controversial law faced significant opposition in 2019, leading to widespread protests across India.
Closely monitoring CAA implementation: US State Department
Last week, the US State Department voiced concerns over the CAA and is closely monitoring its implementation. In a daily briefing, the department's Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "We are closely monitoring how this act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles." India promptly rebutted these comments, calling them "misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted."
All India Muslim Jamaat President endorses CAA
Meanwhile, the leader of All India Muslim Jamaat Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi has endorsed the execution of the CAA. Encouraging all Indian Muslims to embrace it, he said that misconceptions about the Act had been propagated by certain political entities. He said he aims to alleviate concerns within his community by assuring them that their citizenship status would remain unaffected by the law.
'CAA was long overdue', says Hindu-American groups
The lawmaker's remarks came amid several Hindu-American groups' endorsement of the rollout of the CAA. Hindu American Foundation (HAF) welcomed the contested law, calling it "long overdue." The HAF said the CAA protects "some of the most vulnerable refugees in India," providing them with human rights that were denied to them in their native country. Ajay Shah, founder and co-convenor of HinduPACT, expressed disappointment with the US government's opposition to the CAA.
