'Misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted': India responds to US on CAA

US State Department expressed 'concerned' about the notification of the CAA on March 11, and stated that they would be closely monitoring its implementation in India

India has strongly rebuffed criticism from the United States regarding the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019, asserting that it is an internal matter and dismissing the US statement as "misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, on Friday, emphasised India's stance, highlighting that the CAA aims to provide citizenship to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

"The CAA is about giving citizenship, not about taking away citizenship. It addresses the issue of statelessness, provides human dignity and supports human rights," Jaiswal said.

Jaiswal's remarks came in response to concerns expressed by the US State Department, which stated that it is "concerned" about the notification of the CAA on March 11 and is closely monitoring its implementation. The State Department spoke on the importance of religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities.

"We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a daily briefing on Thursday.

"As regards the US State Department's statement on the implementation of the CAA, we are of the view that it is misplaced, misinformed and unwarranted," the MEA spokesperson said in response to Miller's statement at a weekly media briefing on Friday.

Since its implementation, the Citizenship Act has stirred controversy, criticism, and protests throughout the country. Recently, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal has also raised concerns regarding employment and the potential for increasing crimes in the country with the influx of migrants.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in response, had clarified that the law aims to protect persecuted minorities who were part of undivided India and assured that it does not infringe on anyone's rights.

What is CAA?

The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, enable eligible individuals under the CAA-2019 to apply for Indian citizenship through an online portal provided by the government. The Centre notified the rules for implementing the CAA on March 11, seeking to grant citizenship to refugees who sought shelter in India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.