“Misplaced, Misinformed, Unwarranted”: India Rebukes US’ Remarks on CAA

New Delhi: The Indian government has strongly rebuffed comments from the United States regarding the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Ministry of External Affairs labelled the remarks as “misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted,” asserting that the CAA aims to provide citizenship rather than revoke it. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that the law addresses statelessness, upholds human dignity, and supports human rights.

Responding to concerns raised by the US State Department regarding religious freedom in India, the government stressed that the CAA intends to assist minorities facing persecution in neighbouring countries. Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that Muslims can still apply for citizenship under existing laws and assured that Indian Muslims’ rights remain intact.

The CAA specifically benefits undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, easing their citizenship process. It aims to provide refuge to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, or Jains fleeing religious persecution. The government highlighted that the law merely reduces the waiting period for citizenship application for eligible individuals from 11 years to five.