Rajasthan Citizenship Camps for Minority | 19 Jul 2024
Why in News?
The Rajasthan government is going to organize special camps to grant Indian citizenship to minority refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Key Points
- The rules and procedures for granting Indian citizenship to minority refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have been simplified. District collectors are now authorized to issue citizenship certificates.
- According to the sources, 2,329 people have been granted citizenship in the state from 2016 to 2024.
- A total of 1,566 applications are pending at present. Of these, Intelligence Bureau reports are awaited in 300 cases.
Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019
- The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955.
- The CAA provides citizenship on the basis of religion to six undocumented non-Muslim communities (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians) from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before 31st December, 2014.
- It exempts the members of the six communities from any criminal case under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Passport Act, 1920.
- The two Acts specify punishment for entering the country illegally and staying here on expired visas and permits.