Our perspectives on Citizenship Act been shared with US Congress: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India on the margins of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, held a day before, has shared its perspectives on the recently enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) with the US Congress.

"I'm not aware of the specifics of what was discussed in EAM's meeting with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. But our perspective on the Citizenship Amendment Act has been shared with the US interlocutors, including the US Congress," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a weekly briefing.

"We've highlighted the points, which have been articulated in the Parliament and subsequently, which has been repeated by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. I can only say that in the context of his meeting with the members of the US Congress, EAM shared our perspectives on this issue," Kumar added.

This issue is 'internal' to India was not discussed per se in the 2+2 meeting, the spokesperson said.

Asserting that India is a vibrant democracy that has a free press, US State Department acknowledged that New Delhi is "openly and publicly" debating the CAA.

Speaking to ANI, US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, on Wednesday said, "India has a free press. India has a vibrant democracy. India has the ability for the court system to review all legislations. So, what you are saying and what we are observing is that a vibrant democracy that is debating and that is discussing this bill. First and foremost, you don't have that kind of conversation in most countries. The fact is that the world's largest democracy is debating so openly and publicly."

The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. The Bill in this regard was presented in the Parliament by Home Minister Amit Shah and it was passed from both the houses--Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. It becomes a law following President Ram Nath Kovind's assent.

Since then, the country is witnessing widespread protests against the amended law demanding its withdrawal. Leaders of several opposition parties had met President Kovind on Tuesday urging him to advise the government to withdraw the law. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to stay the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 and issued a notice to the Central government on a batch of petitions challenging its constitutional validity.

However, Shah has ruled out the withdrawal of the CAA with the government repeatedly saying that the law does not affect any Indian citizen.