US expresses concerns over CAA implementation in India, states close monitoring
PTC News Desk: The United States voiced its apprehensions regarding the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India, stating that it is closely monitoring the situation. Matthew Miller, the State Department Spokesperson, highlighted the US's concerns during a daily briefing.
"We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on March 11," Miller stated in response to a query, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities as fundamental democratic principles.
#WATCH | On CAA implementation, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller says, "We are concerned about the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Act. We are closely monitoring
how this Act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the… pic.twitter.com/55Xhog4Itp — ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2024
The CAA, spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government, aims to provide citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. This move comes four years after the law was passed by Parliament in December 2019.
The notification of the Act triggered criticism from opposition leaders, who deemed the notified rules as "unconstitutional," "discriminatory," and violative of the "secular principle of citizenship" enshrined in the Constitution. Critics argue that by excluding Muslims and tying citizenship to religious identity, the law undermines India's secular principles.
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Contrarily, the government maintains that the CAA focuses on granting citizenship and assures that no citizen will lose their status. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an interview with news agency ANI, reaffirmed the government's stance, asserting that the CAA will remain in place without compromise.
"This is our sovereign right to ensure Indian citizenship in our country; we will never compromise on it, and CAA will never be rescinded," Shah stated emphatically. He further criticized the opposition, suggesting that their actions contradict their words, unlike the consistent commitments of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP.
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(Inputs from agencies)
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