India introduced a controversial law on Monday, expediting the process for granting citizenship rights to immigrants from neighboring nations, except for those who belong to the Muslim faith.
The citizenship law was passed amidst turbulent protests at the close of 2019 and seen as a precursor to a proposed population register, requiring Indians to provide evidence of their citizenship.
Critics argue that these measures amount to fundamental discrimination against Muslims, the largest religious minority in the country.
According to Bloomberg, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was notified through the Gazette of India more than four years after it was originally passed as law.
The CAA places importance on providing citizenship to individuals of different faiths from three neighboring Muslim-majority nations-Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan-who entered India before 2015.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently denied accusations of discrimination against Muslims in connection with this law.
Just weeks before the national elections, the CAA has come into effect, positioning Modi for a potential third term by rallying support among his predominantly Hindu voter base.
Questioning the timing of the elaborative move, Jairam Ramesh, spokesperson for the main opposition Congress party, said, "It is evident that it is being done to polarize the elections, especially in Assam and West Bengal," referring to the eastern states.
Amit Shah, India's Home Minister, has strongly advocated for the CAA, consistently vowing to implement the law and expel immigrants from Bangladesh, labeling them as "termites."
Surprisingly, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has maintained a relatively low profile on the subject in the run-up to this year's election.
During the 2019 protests, demonstrators against the CAA were detained and beaten by police, while some in the state of Uttar Pradesh had their homes razed, reported Bloomberg.
The citizenship law coincides with a controversial initiative to create a national population register.
In the northeastern region of Assam, residents were required to validate their Indian citizenship through documentation, which proves to be a challenging task in a nation where home births are common and obtaining certificates from government agencies isn't easy.
Consequently, 1.9 million people were left stateless.
Critics worry that the nationwide expansion of the register could lead to the rights of tens of millions of Indians being revoked until they re-establish residency through the CAA.
However, this option would not be available to Muslims.
According to a recent census, Hindus account for 80% of India's population of 1.4 billion, while Muslims make up about 14%.
