The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was passed by Parliament in December 2019, envisioning the provision of citizenship to non-Muslim migrants encountering religious persecution in neighboring countries. However, the subsequent years witnessed fervent protests across the country, with demonstrations in Delhi and Guwahati capturing headlines until the onset of pandemic-induced restrictions and lockdowns.
A prolonged period of relative silence on the CAA ensued until 29 November 2023, when Home Minister Amit Shah announced the government’s commitment to implementing the controversial law. Despite sporadic statements, substantive progress remained elusive, and the overarching nature of the law lacked detailed rules.
Fast forward to January 3, 2024, when media reports surfaced, revealing that the long-awaited rules for the CAA were ready and poised for notification ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections in 2024. The government reportedly aims to make the entire process online, allowing applicants to apply even from their mobile phones.
Union Minister Shantanu Thakur subsequently heightened anticipation by asserting that the law would be implemented within the next seven days. This marked a definitive and time-bound affirmation from the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, whose constituency shares a border with Bangladesh.
The CAA, tailored to benefit Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, encountered widespread opposition and protests, with critics viewing the government’s recent push for implementation as a strategic move in the run-up to the 2024 general elections.
Four years since its passage, the CAA had faced obstacles ranging from initial protests, particularly in states like Assam and Tripura, to legal challenges questioning its constitutional validity. The law was criticized for perceived discrimination, excluding certain persecuted groups such as the Rohingya of Myanmar and Tibetan Buddhists.
Throughout this period, Union Home Minister Amit Shah consistently reiterated the government’s commitment to the CAA, emphasizing its status as the “law of the land” and dismissing any hindrance to its implementation.
Notably, the government extended the deadline multiple times to finalize the rules, addressing concerns and streamlining the citizenship-granting process for the eligible communities outlined in the CAA. Now, with Minister Shantanu Thakur providing a clear time-frame for implementation, the path ahead seems to offer a more defined trajectory for the controversial law to come into effect. The looming question remains: Opposition parties are seeing the talk about implementing the CAA as politics before the 2024 general election. Are they right? Only time will tell.