Guwahati: The Assam government is all set to implement the CAA amid all sorts of protests and opposition. In a recent move, the government has indicated that it is ready to welcome the non-Muslim foreigners from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan who entered Assam before December 31, 2014.
The Assam government’s home and political department has directed the state police to refrain from registering cases against people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan who entered into India on or before December 31, 2014 in Foreigners Tribunal as they are eligible for Indian citizenship as per the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
The letter signed by Partha Pratim Majumdar, Secretary to the Govt. of Assam Home and Political Department to the Special Director General of Police (Border), Assam, dated July 5 has stated that in view of the provision of law, the border police should not forward cases of persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain and Christian community who entered India prior to December 31, 2014 directly to the Foreigners Tribunal.
The letter also stated that such persons may be advised to apply for citizenship through the citizenship application portal - https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in. Following which their citizenship will be decided by the Government of India based on facts and circumstances of the case. The letter stated that a separate register can be maintained for those who fall in the specified category.
However, the said rules will not be applicable for people who entered into Assam from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan after December 31, 2014 irrespective of their religion. Once detected, they should be straight away forwarded to the jurisdictional Foreigners Tribunal for further action.
From the abovementioned move it is almost clear that the state government is ready to embrace the people from non-Muslim communities who entered prior December 31, 2014 from the neighboring countries. The state political department's letter to Assam Police has now paved the way for the government to welcome these people who are seeking for Indian citizenship under the rules of CAA.
According to the Home Department, so far only eight Bangladeshi nationals have applied for Indian citizenship under the CAA. It is worth mentioning that the process of granting citizenship on the basis of CAA is continuing across the country as well as in Assam. In the case of Assam, the Bangladeshi Hindu refugee issue had triggered a massive debate soon after the CAA issue came out. But after this order of the Assam government, even if the lack of necessary documents has created complications in getting citizenship, Hindu Bangladeshis who have taken shelter in Assam from now on will not have to face any difficulty from police and Foreigners' Tribunal.
Centre had already launched a portal to apply for citizenship on the basis of CAA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. It is to be noted that most of the illegal foreigners taking shelter in Assam have not been able to apply due to non-fulfillment of the required documentation criteria.
After the Home Department of the Assam government issued this directive to the border police of the state, there is a notion prevailing that the number of foreigner applicantions for Indian citizenship through the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam will see a spike.
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