Repeal amended Citizenship Act immediately, Human Rights Watch urges India

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday said India should immediately repeal the amended Citizenship Act and ensure that any future asylum and refugee policy doesn't discriminate on any grounds, including religion, and complies with international legal standards.

Releasing a 82-page report, 'Shoot the Traitors: Discrimination Against Muslims Under India's New Citizenship Policy,' the human rights body's South Asia Director Meenakhshi Ganguly said the newly amended law violates India's international obligations to prevent deprivation of citizenship on the basis of race, colour, descent, nation or ethnicity.

"India should also discard any plan for a nationwide citizenship verification project until there are public consultations to establish standardised procedures and due process protection to ensure that it does not impose undue hardship on the poor, minority communities, migrant or internally displaced populations, and women," the HRW stated.

The New York-based organisation also said, "India has tried to delink the citizenship (Amendment) Act from citizenship verification processes, but failed to reassure minority communities because of contradictory, discriminatory, and hate-filled claims by BJP leaders."