This March, the Indian government started implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act, which provides citizenship to undocumented people who are minorities facing persecution in their countries of origin. This was eyed to benefit those who entered the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and other neighboring countries before December 31, 2014, who will now receive fast-track citizenship.
But the law that is now in effect does not include LGBTQIA people among those who are persecuted, and instead focuses on Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in countries where they are oppressed.
With this law, applicants can now apply for citizenship in India through an online portal that listed required documents including birth certificates, tenancy records, identity papers and any license, school, or educational certificate issued by a government authority in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Applicants also need to produce any eligibility certificate issued by institutions that confirms they belong to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian community and remains a member of it.
“These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated via a post in Twitter/X on March 11. “With this notification PM (Prime Minister) Shri Narendra Modi has delivered on another commitment and realized the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries.”
