Under the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019, 159 Hindu refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan in Uttarakhand have been granted Indian citizenship after thorough government verification.
Following a thorough verification by the Uttarakhand Home Department, the Government of India has approved the citizenship applications of 159 Hindu refugees residing in the state. Among them, 153 refugees are from Pakistan, and six are from Afghanistan.
This step comes under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, which aims to provide Indian citizenship to minority communities, including Hindus, who sought refuge in India from neighboring countries before December 31, 2014. The Uttarakhand and central governments conducted extensive scrutiny before granting citizenship to these individuals, ensuring that the process was transparent and legitimate.
Background of the CAA 2019
The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed in 2019, amended the Citizenship Act of 1955. During the parliamentary debate, Home Minister Shri Amit Shah highlighted the need to expedite citizenship for persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Despite strong opposition from some political parties and widespread protests, the bill was passed and received presidential assent.
Under this amendment, minority groups such as Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians who arrived in India before the 2014 cut-off are eligible for Indian citizenship. Since the enactment of the CAA, around 400 refugees across India have already been granted citizenship.
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Role of Seema Jagruk Manch
The Seema Jagruk Manch (Border Awareness Forum) played a crucial role in assisting the refugees. The organization helped identify eligible applicants, guided them in filling out the citizenship forms, and submitted the documents to the Home Department for verification. Subsequently, government authorities conducted detailed background checks to ensure the authenticity of each case.
Statement from Uttarakhand CM
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shri Amit Shah for addressing the challenges faced by Hindu refugee families in India. He emphasized that the CAA amendment has provided relief to those who had been waiting for citizenship for years. CM Dhami also noted that attempts by opposition parties to create misinformation about the law were unsuccessful.
This initiative represents a significant step toward fulfilling India’s commitment to providing a safe and legal home for persecuted minorities while strengthening the nation’s humanitarian and inclusive policies.
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