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The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) Protests and What They Mean

Credit: India Today

India is in crisis right now. You may have seen it all over the media, on networking sites, or even firsthand, but controversy has sparked over the recent 'Citizenship Amendment Bill' enacted by the acting political party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP. Many claim that this bill has encouraged immigration policies that are detrimental/racist to Muslims seeking citizenship in India.

The world community is divided over the impact and potential racist connotations behind this bill, but what we suffer from the most is misinformation on this issue. As Indian and non-Indians alike, it is entirely possible that we have been exposed to wrong information that prevents a holistic perspective on this issue. This article resolves that matter, by conducting an in-depth analysis and looking at the facts of this issue.

The History 

As the name suggests, this bill is an amendment to India's existing immigration policies. According to the Citizenship Act in 1995, there are 4 main ways for a foreigner to acquire citizenship in India -
  1. Citizenship by Birth 
  2. Citizenship by Descent 
  3. Citizenship by Registration 
  4. Citizenship by Naturalization - Can be acquired by a foreigner living in India for 11 years.
The amendment to this bill, suggested in 2019 by the BJP party, states that any individual who is a part of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, need only live in India for 5 years, instead of 11 years, to acquire Citizenship by Naturalization. All of those from these communities living in India since 2014 and before will be classified as citizens. Any other individual of identity that doesn't match any of these will not be granted Citizenship by Naturalization.

The Opinions

Critics - Critics to the amendment bill oppose it due to the fact that it purposefully excludes Muslims, who are growing in numbers in India - roughly 200 million of them currently live in India. They claim it is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution, which ensures secularism in the country, and the bill is fundamentally discriminatory.

Supporters - Supporters to this bill claim that this bill makes it easier for individuals from neighboring countries who are being persecuted to seek shelter in India. Amit Shah, a prominent figure in the BJP, claims that Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are 'Islamic States', and therefore it is unlikely for Muslims to be persecuted in those countries. However, it should be noted that Muslims are still persecuted in these regions, such as the Rohingyas and Hazaras.

Assam and Western States - Historically, Assam and surrounding states have faced a massive influx of refugees and illegal immigrants. Over fear of losing their culture and land, the 'Assam Accord' was passed, which classified any immigrants arriving in India past 1971 as illegal, regardless of their identity. However, the Bill amends this time period from 1971 to 2014, granting many more refugees and immigrants citizenship in these states, causing a 'loss of cultural identity' and igniting protests from these states over the lack of security they face in their home state.

The Impact

Protests have been ignited all over the country, especially in Assam and Western states, over the possible negative impacts the passing of this bill might create. Students in India have been especially active, as many fear the negative connotations and prejudice behind this amendment.

The response from the police have been especially brutal, and sparked mass outrage internationally over the poor handling of the situation by the Indian government. At least 31 people have died, and the numbers are estimated to be much higher for the injured.

The most noticeable impact may the deteriorating relationships between India and neighboring Muslim-majority countries, as many fear that India is arming itself to be a Hindu state. 

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