What is Citizenship amendment bill | Benefits, Disputs, All you want to know

What is the citizenship amendment bill

The proposed amendment of the Central Government in the Indian Citizenship Bill has been passed by a majority in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Now after the President's signature, this bill will become a Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) law. The bill has been passed in both houses of Parliament. Now it will become law and after this, the way will be cleared for Hindus from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan as well as for Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians to gain Indian citizenship without valid documents.

Along with the northeastern states, many political parties are opposing the citizenship amendment bill. The people of the Northeast are describing this bill as playing with the cultural, linguistic and traditional heritage of the states.

Protests were also held in Assam after the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) came out. But the people whose names are not in it were given a chance to complain by the government. The Supreme Court had prohibited strictness with those who were out of NRC. Now the government is going to bring the Citizenship Amendment Bill, so it is certain that the voices in both houses of Parliament will be vocal against it.

What is the citizenship amendment bill

The Citizenship Amendment Bill has been introduced to change the provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955, which would change the rules relating to the grant of citizenship. This amendment to the citizenship bill will pave the way for Hindus from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan as well as Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians to gain Indian citizenship without valid documents.

Residence period will be reduced

People who have lived in the country for 11 years are eligible to acquire citizenship of India. The citizenship amendment bill provides for reducing the duration of residency for refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan from 11 years to 6 years.

Central Home Minister Amit Shah has also talked about amending the citizenship law during several meetings. The most vocal voice against this law is that of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She has already refused to implement NRC in West Bengal. The passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill will change the current law.

Let’s know, who will get the benefit of this and what will be the effect on crores of people living in the country.

What is proposed in the Citizenship Amendment Bill?

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 19 July 2016. It was submitted to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 12 August 2016. The committee gave its report on this in January 2019. After this, the bill was introduced again in the Lok Sabha on 9 December 2019, where it was passed by voice vote late at night.

The bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 11 December 2019 and also passed there. Because this bill has been passed by Parliament, now all illegal migrant Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh will be eligible for Indian citizenship after the President's signature and published in the Gazette.

Apart from this, people of all six religions of these three countries will also be exempted from the rule of getting Indian citizenship. All such expatriates who have been living in India for six years will be able to get citizenship here. Earlier this time limit was 11 years.

Why is there a dispute over the Citizenship Amendment Bill?

This bill makes their religion the basis of getting citizenship for illegal migrants. This proposal has sparked controversy. Because if it happens then it would be a violation of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which talks about the right to equality.

The Home Ministry had notified in the year 2018 that collectors of certain districts of seven states can accept online applications for granting citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh residing in India. Citizenship will be granted to them after the verification report is received from states and centers.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has empowered collectors in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi under Section 5 and 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 to provide citizenship and natural certificates to migrants. Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs also made a change in Schedule 1 of the Citizenship Rules, 2009.