US panel raises concern over India's notification of rules for CAA

New York: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has voiced concern over the Indian government's notification of rules to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), saying no one should be denied citizenship based on religion or belief.

Rules for implementation of the contentiousCAA were notified earlier this month, paving the way for granting citizenship to undocumented nonMuslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

“The problematic CAA establishes a religious requirement for asylum seekers in India fleeing neighbouring countries,” USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck said.

Schneck said that while CAA provides a fast track to citizenship for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians, the law excludes Muslims.

Critics have questioned the government over the exclusion of Muslims. Schneck said, “If the law were aimed at protecting persecuted religious minorities, it would include Rohingya Muslims from Burma, Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan, or Hazara Shi'a from Afghanistan, among others,'' he said. (PTI)