People who fled religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are now able to obtain Indian citizenship through the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). 350 persons received citizenship on 15th May from the Ministry of Home Affairs and 14 of them were called and handed their documents while others were granted citizenship digitally. The recipients shared their great delight after the development and expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for changing their lives. Bhavna, who is the daughter of a family that escaped Pakistan, voiced her happiness and said, “It is equal to getting a new life for us.”
#WATCH आज दिल्ली में 14 आवेदकों को नागरिकता प्रमाणपत्र सौंपे गए। कई अन्य आवेदकों को डिजिटल हस्ताक्षर किया हुआ प्रमाणपत्र ईमेल के माध्यम से जारी किए जा रहे हैं: गृह मंत्रालय pic.twitter.com/EOFxgXeYaH
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 15, 2024
Bhavna narrated their ordeal and said, “We have to face a lot of difficulties there. It is hard for girls to go out of the house and they are unable to study. Muslims kidnap Hindu girls and force them to convert to Islam. Girls stay within their houses because they are terrified to step outside and have to wear a burqa if they ever want to head out. I have been here since I was very young. I don’t remember much except my home in Pakistan. The reason for this was that I never left my home. We still have many relatives there who want to come to India, but they are finding it difficult to get a visa. We are very happy to be in our country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped us a lot. We want to thank him and Amit Shah. I was elated when CAA was passed. I am studying further and want to become a teacher and educate others, especially females as well.”
#WATCH नागरिकता प्रमाण पत्र प्राप्त करने वाले आवेदकों में से एक भावना ने बताया, "मुझे आज नागरिकता मिली है, मुझे बहुत अच्छा लग रहा है, अब हम आगे पढ़ सकेंगे… मैं 2014 में यहां आई थी। जब (CAA) पास हुआ था तब बहुत खुशी हुई थी…पाकिस्तान में हम लड़कियाँ पढ़ नहीं पाती थीं और घर से… pic.twitter.com/1cu17UxFL1
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 15, 2024
Yashoda is also included among those who got Indian citizenship. She conveyed, “I arrived here ten years ago in 2013 but didn’t get citizenship until now. We are now glad to be Indians. Our children were not even able to get admission to schools. Now, things will be better and we will now have access to the same facilities as other citizens. We will also send our kids to school. We thank PM Modi and India for the citizenship.”
#WATCH नागरिकता प्रमाणपत्र प्राप्त करने वाले आवेदकों में से एक यशोदा कहती हैं, "हम 2013 से भारत में रह रही हूं, हम पाकिस्तान से आए थे…अब स्थिति बेहतर होगी क्योंकि नागरिकता मिल गई है। अब हमारे बच्चे पढ़ सकेंगे…हम नागरिकता के लिए PM मोदी और भारत का धन्यवाद करते हैं…'' pic.twitter.com/1hsFDIqeFp
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 15, 2024
Harish Kumar, who became a citizen of India mentioned, “I have been living in Delhi for the last 13-14 years. It feels like a dream coming true, I am very happy. It is like a new birth for me. I am very thankful to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s central government. Rights are very important as now we can get higher education and secure jobs.”
#WATCH नागरिकता प्रमाण पत्र प्राप्त करने वाले आवेदकों में से एक हरीश कुमार ने बताया, "मैं पिछले 13-14 वर्षों से दिल्ली में रह रहा हूं। एक सपने के सच होने जैसा एहसास है, मैं बहुत खुश हूं। यह मेरे लिए एक नए जन्म जैसा है। मैं केंद्र सरकार का बहुत धन्यवाद करता हूं।" pic.twitter.com/kSQZQy4MH5
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 15, 2024
Notably, on 11th March this year, the Modi administration notified CAA, allowing anyone eligible under CAA-2019 to petition for Indian citizenship which will be awarded to members of persecuted minority groups in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, including Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs who arrived in India on or before 31st December 2014, under the law that went into effect in December 2019. The CAA was approved by the president after it was passed, but the regulations granting Indian citizenship were not issued for over four years until this year which was the reason for their delay. Notably, Indian citizens will not be impacted by the CAA. It was brought in just to help the six oppressed minorities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.