India has moved to implement a 2019 citizenship law that has been criticised as discriminating against Muslims. It comes weeks before Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a rare third term for his Hindu nationalist government. The Citizenship Amendment Act grants Indian nationality to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India due to religious persecution from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before 31 December 2014.
This will pave way for the persecuted to find citizenship in India," he said, referring to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's 2019 election manifesto. A Home Ministry statement said the law would remove legal barriers to citizenship for refugees, giving a "dignified life" to those who have suffered for decades.
Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)