Those applying for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will have to submit ‘proof of religion’ under the CAA rules that are currently being drafted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
According to an MHA official, this can be done by producing any Indian government document acquired before December 31, 2014, in which the applicant has to declare his/her religion as Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Parsi, Jain, or Buddhist, said an Indian Express report.
School document
According to another official cited in the report, if someone has enrolled his/her children in a government school, producing a copy of the school document where the religion is mentioned, will be accepted as proof.
Even if someone has acquired Aadhaar before December 31, 2014, and has declared his/ her religion as being from among the six mentioned in the Act, it would be acceptable as proof. Any form of government document declaring his/her religion will be accepted, the report said, citing an official.
The CAA grants citizenship to immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan through the process of naturalisation if they belong to the Hindu, Sikk, Christian, Parsi, Jain or Buddhist community.
The new legislation grants citizenship on the assumption that these communities faced religious persecution in the above-mentioned Islamic countries, the report noted. The CAA rules may not ask for evidence of ‘religious persecution’. Rather, they presume that those who came to India either faced persecution or fear of being persecuted, it added.
Assam’s demand
Sources cited by the Indian Express said the MHA has accepted Assam’s demand for making the Act time-bound.
Assam had earlier asked the MHA to limit the time period to three months. The State authorities believe that keeping the Act open-ended could further add to the already growing sense of fear over CAA in Assam.