Amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a crucial query regarding the eligibility criteria under the Act. The CAA aims to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Shah was questioned about why the Act extends eligibility to Parsis and Christians, but not to Muslims. He responded by explaining that the territories covered under the Act were historically part of a united greater India known as Akhand Bharat, which included present-day Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet.
He responded, “The region is not presently within India due to its Muslim population. It was allocated for them. I firmly believe that it is our moral and constitutional duty to provide refuge to those who were once part of Akhand Bharat and endured religious persecution.”
Shah highlighted the decline in the population of Hindus in Pakistan, from 23% at the time of Partition to 3.7% currently, emphasizing the religious persecution and forced conversions faced by minorities. Similarly, he pointed out the reduction in the Hindu population in Bangladesh over the years.
Referring to Afghanistan, he cited the dwindling numbers of Sikhs and Hindus due to persecution, indicating their right to live according to their religious beliefs.
