Assam Marks Historic First: Three Individuals Granted Indian Citizenship Under CAA

In a landmark development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma officially announced that three individuals have been granted Indian citizenship through the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) portal. This marks the very first instance of the controversial law being implemented in the northeastern state, a region that has witnessed significant debate and protests surrounding the act.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of a public rally in Jorhat, CM Sarma confirmed the applications of these three individuals, who hail from Pakistan and Bangladesh, were successfully processed.

Their acquisition of Indian citizenship comes after the Union government recently notified the rules for the CAA, paving the way for its nationwide implementation.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities – Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians – who fled religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.

While the government maintains it is a humanitarian gesture, the act has been a contentious issue, particularly in Assam.

Concerns in Assam primarily revolve around fears of potential demographic shifts and the erosion of the unique cultural and linguistic identity of the indigenous population.

The state experienced widespread, often violent, protests against the CAA in late 2019 and early 2020, with many civil society groups and political parties arguing it violates the Assam Accord of 1985, which sets a cut-off date of March 24, 1971, for detecting and deporting illegal immigrants.

Despite the prevailing apprehension, Chief Minister Sarma reiterated the government's stance that the CAA would not adversely impact Assam's demographic structure.

He assured the public that the number of people likely to benefit from the act in Assam would be 'very negligible,' estimating it to be fewer than 10,000 individuals. This assessment aims to allay fears of a massive influx that could alter the state's population dynamics.

The Union Home Ministry had officially launched the online portal for receiving applications under the CAA, facilitating a streamlined process for eligible individuals.

The granting of citizenship to these three individuals signifies a concrete step in the implementation of the act, further propelling the national conversation around its implications and future trajectory.