By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 23 Feb: In a significant development under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 153 refugees residing in Uttarakhand have been granted Indian citizenship. The decision has brought much relief to families who had been awaiting legal recognition for several years. Sources added that the beneficiaries belong to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities and had migrated to India from Pakistan and Afghanistan owing to religious persecution. Sources also claimed that Home Minister Amit Shah, himself, is likely to hand over citizenship certificates to the beneficiaries in Haridwar on 7 March.
According to the official sources, 147 of the approved applicants are from Pakistan while six are from Afghanistan. Sources also shared that the online applications submitted by these refuges under the provisions of the CAA have been scrutinised by the State Home Department and subsequently approved by the Government of India in accordance with prescribed guidelines. In addition, 51 additional applications are also under consideration.
It may be recalled that the CAA, passed by Parliament in December 2019 and notified for implementation in 2024 after the framing of rules by the Union Government, provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for members of specified minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before 31 December 2014 due to religious persecution. The legislation reduces the residency requirement for such applicants and facilitates a streamlined naturalisation process through an online portal introduced by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The sources further indicated that a special programme is likely to be organised on 7 March in Haridwar during the proposed visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where citizenship certificates may be formally handed over to the beneficiaries. In this regard, sources added that administrative preparations for the event have begun and besides that security arrangements are also being reviewed at various levels.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is reported to have described the development as a matter of dignity and long-awaited justice for families who had been living in uncertainty for years. He stated that extending citizenship to those who sought refuge in India after facing persecution reflects both humanitarian commitment and constitutional responsibility. He further observed that the grant of citizenship would enable the beneficiaries to access full civic rights, government welfare schemes and improved livelihood opportunities.
