Citizenship Amendment Act

1. Citizenship Amendment Act
(CAA) 2019
PRESENTED BY
M R SANTHOOSH
(RA2312005040003)

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Content
➔ Citizenship
➔ Citizenship in India
➔ Illegal Migrant
➔ Scenario Before CAA
➔ Objectives of CAA
➔ Features of CAA 2019
➔ Exceptions and Special Provisions
➔ Criticism: Targeting Muslims
➔ Northeastern Opposition
➔ Counter Arguments
➔ Sovereign Space and Historical Connections
➔ Conclusion

3. What is Citizenship?
❖ Citizenship defines rights and duties within a
nation.
❖ It involves state protection, voting rights, and
public office eligibility in exchange for fulfilling
state obligations.
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4. Citizenship in India
❖ Indian citizenship is unified under the
Constitution, with Parliament empowered to
regulate it under Article 11.
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5. Who is an Illegal Migrant?
❖ Illegal migrants enter without valid documents
or overstay permitted durations, facing legal
repercussions under the Foreigners Act and
Passport Act.
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6. Scenario Before CAA
❖ Before CAA, illegal migrants couldn't apply for
citizenship, facing deportation or jail.
❖ The process required significant residency and
eligibility conditions.
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7. Objectives of CAA
❖ CAA seeks citizenship for persecuted religious
minorities, easing naturalization for specified
groups from neighboring nations.
❖ The goal is to grant citizenship to persecuted
religious minorities, simplifying naturalization
for certain groups from neighboring countries.
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8. Features of CAA 2019
❖ Act eases naturalization rules and sets a cut-off
date, prioritizing religious persecution as
citizenship grounds.
❖ The Act simplifies naturalization procedures,
with a specified eligibility deadline, emphasizing
religious persecution for citizenship.
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9. Exceptions and Special Provisions
❖ Certain tribal and Inner Line Permit areas are
excluded from the Act, recognizing their distinct
circumstances.
❖ Exclusions are made based on unique legal
frameworks in tribal and Inner Line Permit
regions.
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10. Criticism: Targeting Muslims
❖ Critics assert Act discriminates against Muslims,
contradicting secularism, equality, and justice
with religious citizenship categories.
❖ Criticisms target Act for alleged Muslim
discrimination, challenging its alignment with
secularism, equality, and justice principles.
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11. Criticism: Violation of Article 14
❖ Critics argue Act breaches Article 14 with
arbitrary religious distinctions, denying equal
legal protection.
❖ Contention centers on Act's alleged violation of
Article 14 through religious classifications,
undermining legal equality.
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12. Northeastern Opposition
❖ Northeastern states fear demographic shifts,
cultural erosion, and violations of regional
agreements like the Assam Accord.
❖ Concerns include economic and political
implications of demographic changes and
potential cultural dilution in the region.
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13. Other Issues and Criticisms
❖ Critiques highlight Act's exclusion of non-listed
groups and narrow focus on religious
persecution.
❖ Criticisms also target Act's reduction of
residency requirements as overly restrictive and
exclusionary.
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14. Counter Arguments: Not Targeting Muslims
❖ Defenders stress Act doesn't bar Muslims from
existing citizenship paths, upholding India's
non-refoulement pledge.
❖ Act proponents argue it doesn't prevent
Muslims from citizenship routes, honoring
India's non-refoulement commitment.
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15. Sovereign Space and Historical Connections
❖ Proponents argue Act's provisions align with
sovereign powers, bolstered by historical ties.
❖ Act's defenders cite historical links with listed
nations to justify its provisions' legality.
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16. Conclusion
❖ The CAA sparks legal challenges and debates.
❖ Balancing constitutional principles with
humanitarian concerns remains crucial for its
effective implementation and social harmony.
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17. Thank You