
In 9 States, District Magistrates Can Now Give Citizenship To Non-Muslims: Report
NDTV
The move to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming to the country from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and not under the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) bears significance.
The district magistrates of 31 districts and the home secretaries of nine states have been given powers to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming to the country from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act, 1955, reported Press Trust of India.
According to the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for 2021-22, from April 1 to December 31, 2021, a total of 1,414 foreigners belonging to these minority communities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were given Indian citizenship by registration or naturalisation under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The move to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming to the country from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and not under the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) bears significance.
The CAA also provides for granting Indian citizenship to these non-Muslims coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.