Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls, Modi Govt Notifies CAA Rules after 4 Years of Amending 1955 Act

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday notified the rules for implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) four years after its was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and received Presidential assent soon after. The Centre had notified the Act in January but sought more time to frame the rules.

The Narendra Modi government’s decision to notify the implementation of CAA, which saw huge protests across the country as well as widespread crackdown, comes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, and was among top items on the political agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election manifesto.

The amended CAA (the original was the Citizenship Act of 1955), offers Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis (it excludes Muslims) who migrated from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan prior to December 31, 2014.

The protests throughout the country were triggered as a large section of the population saw it as discriminatory against Muslims and undermining of the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution of India by making religion a test of citizenship. Over 100 people are estimated to have died in the protests. Among the longest protests was the one in Shaheen Bagh in the country’s capital city.

The announcement of CAA implementation with immediate effect is being Opposition parties as aimed primarily at the state of West Bengal, where it a poll issue for both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP.

 According to NDTV, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: “With elections approaching, BJP has again raked up CAA issue to reap political benefits. But let me make it clear, as long as I am alive, I will not allow it in Bengal."

Hitting out the BJP for the timing of the announcement, Banerjee said: "You should have notified rules six months ago. If there are any good things, we always support and appreciate but if anything is done that is not good for the country, TMC will always raise its voice and oppose it. I know why today's date was chosen before Ramazan. I appeal to the people to be calm and avoid any rumours."

In fact, earlier, too, several non-BJP ruled states, such as Kerala, Telangana and Punjab, have opposed the CAA and even passed resolutions. In fact, the Bengal and Kerala governments also stopped all NPR, or National Population Register, and NRC work.

In fact, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had made it clear that CAA, "which relegates Muslims to second class citizens will not be implemented” in the state, adding that “Indian citizenship is not granted based on religion” and that CAA undermined this fundamental principle and was a “communally divisive” law.