GG News Bureau
Jodhpur, 12th March. For a Hindu migrant from Pakistan living in Jodhpur, the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA by the Centre felt like a real Ram Rajya, as celebrations erupted. The law, passed by Parliament four years ago, aims to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
In Jodhpur, Hindu migrants from Pakistan lit lamps and set off firecrackers to mark the occasion. Dinesh Bheel, one of the migrants, expressed relief, saying that many waiting for citizenship can now hope to become Indian nationals soon.
Another migrant, Perumal, welcomed the development, stating that it would lead to citizenship and improve the lives of distressed migrants. He mentioned that under the new rules, migrants can obtain citizenship after residing in India for six years, benefiting many who have been waiting for this opportunity.
The Modi government’s announcement of the CAA rules, just before the Lok Sabha elections, means that persecuted non-Muslim migrants – Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians – from the three countries will now be granted Indian nationality. The rules are effective immediately, as per a gazette notification.
Seemant Lok Sangathan, an organization advocating for Pakistan migrants in India, reported that around 35,000 migrants in Jodhpur have been eagerly awaiting citizenship. The group noted a significant increase in Hindu migrants from Pakistan settling in the region over the past decade.
While the president of Seemant Lok Sangthan, Hindu Singh Sodha, welcomed the reduction in residency period from 10-12 years to 6 years under the CAA, he expressed concern about the cutoff date of December 31, 2014. Sodha highlighted that around 20,000 people who arrived in India after this date in the last 10 years would not be eligible for citizenship under the new law.
Rajasthan’s western districts, including Barmer, Bikaner, and Jodhpur, are home to a large population of Hindu migrants from Pakistan.
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