US religious freedom body raises concern over CAA implementation
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has expressed concerns about the newly enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). "The problematic CAA establishes a religious requirement for asylum seekers in India fleeing neighboring countries," USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck said. The CAA, which fast-tracks citizenship for certain religious groups in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, notably excludes Muslims.
Why does this story matter?
The CAA, passed by Parliament in December 2019, faced a four-year delay in implementation due to a lack of announced regulations. The Joe Biden administration has repeatedly voiced concerns over the law and is closely monitoring its implementation. "Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles," the US State Department said last month.
USCIRF challenges CAA's religious criteria
Schneck challenged the religious criteria set by the CAA for asylum seekers. He said if the law truly aims to protect persecuted religious minorities, it should also include groups like Rohingya Muslims from Burma, Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan, and Hazara Shi'a from Afghanistan. The USCIRF called on members of the US Congress to continously address religious freedom issues in India. It also suggested American and Indian administrations to collaborate to free arbitrarily detained human rights activists advocating for religious minorities.
CAA is about granting citizenship, says Indian external affairs ministry
Meanwhile, India has stood firm in its defense of the controversial law. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Radhir Jaiswal emphasized that the act is about granting citizenship rather than revoking it. He further stressed that the law addresses statelessness and upholds human rights. He also clarified that Muslims from these countries can still apply for Indian citizenship under existing laws.
Symposium stresses need for open discussions on CAA
Recently, a symposium led by Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) highlighted the importance of open discussions about the CAA. NCP National General Secretary Brijmohan Srivastava said that the event was organized to gather the views of the Muslim community on CAA. He added that a report will be compiled based on these views and forwarded to decision-makers regarding this issue.
