CAA enables refugees persecuted for religion to get Indian citizenship: VHP

The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Monday welcomed the Centre notifying the Citizenship (Amendment) Act rules and said it has paved the way for refugees "persecuted" on the basis of their religion in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship.

Alok Kumar, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief, in a statement also called on the workers of the organisation and other social groups to provide all possible help to such refugees to complete the formalities of applying for Indian citizenship at the earliest.

The Centre on Monday announced implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, paving the way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

The rules were notified days ahead of the expected announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. With this, the Narendra Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- from the three countries.

"The VHP thanks the central government for notifying the rules under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019," Kumar said.

"The way is now clear for the refugees persecuted on the basis of their religion in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to obtain citizenship of Bharat," he added.

Kumar said notification of the CAA rules will ensure that these people live in India with "dignity and as equal persons".

"This is in accord with the Indian tradition of giving refuge, respect and dignity to all those who suffer indignities outside and seek the shelter of Mother India," he added.

The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the president's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it. Many opposition parties spoke out against the law, calling it "discriminatory".

The law could not come into effect as the rules had not been notified till now.