Jodhpur: The implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which gives citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014 has triggered a wave of celebration among the Pakistani Hindu refugees living in Majnu Ka Tila area of Delhi and Chaukha area of Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
The issuance of the notification for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 by the union Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday March 11, has paved the way for Hindu refugees living in Delhi for decades to get Indian citizenship. Among these refugees, 180 families living in the Majnu Ka Tila area of Delhi celebrated the issuance of the CAA rules.
The families expressed their happiness and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government at the Centre to fulfill the long standing demand of their citizenship. “For this we thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Our children will benefit from this,” a refugee said.
The refugee families said that they have been living in refugee settlements in different areas of Delhi for more than a decade and they do not even have passports and cannot go to other areas for work. “Now our path to fight these dilemmas is clear. Soon we too will get recognition as citizens of India,” they said.
Similar celebrations were witnessed at Chaukha area of Jodhpur in Rajasthan where thousands of Pakistani displaced Hindus are settled. As soon as the CAA notification was released, the Pakistani migrants celebrated by playing drums. Hindus who came here from Pakistan have not been getting citizenship for many years, but after the implementation of CAA, the decks have been cleared for their Indian citizenship.
Pakistan displaced Hindu Bhagchand Bhil said, “It is Diwali for us today”. Similarly, Bhura Ram, who has been waiting for citizenship for 15 years, also expressed hope that he will get Indian citizenship soon. Devraj, who has been living in India for 12 years, said, “After today's announcement it seems that now we will be called Indians”.
With the implementation of the CAA, about 20,000 refugees in Western Rajasthan alone who came to India before 2014 will be benefited.
