Home Minister Amit Shah revealed that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government has provided citizenship to 566 Muslims since it came to power in 2014. The revelation made by Amit Shah dispels the narrative that persecuted Muslims from the three neighbouring Islamic States will not be able to acquire Indian Citizenship going forward.
#CitizenshipAmendmentBill2019 | Present laws have provision for giving citizenship to persecuted Muslims; 566 Muslims given Indian citizenship, says Home Minister Amit Shah at Rajya Sabha
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Home Minister Amit Shah has always maintained that the CAB, introduced by the Modi government is by no-means anti-Muslims. The Bill only seeks to provide Citizenship to the persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on a priority basis. The Muslims from these countries can still seek citizenship from India but they have to follow due process, failing which they will be treated as illegal immigrants.
CAB is a special one-time measure for the religious minorities who have already come to India after facing persecution in the three specified countries. The amendment does not cancel the existing naturalisation laws.
Any person from any foreign country seeking to be Indian citizen can apply for the same under the existing laws. There is no bar on Muslims from anywhere in the world to seek Indian citizenship under existing laws, CAB does not prohibit that. They can apply for Indian citizenship under section 6 of the Citizenship Act, which deals with citizenship by naturalization.
