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India rejects US criticism of CAA
CAA was passed in Parliament on Dec. 11, 2019
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a media briefing / X @MEAIndia
India sharply rebuked the U.S. State Department's criticism of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act on Mar. 15, labeling it as "misinformed and unwarranted."
During a weekly press briefing, Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, defended the inclusive provisions of the Indian constitution and dismissed concerns regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act, describing it as "laudable."
“The CAA is about giving citizenship, not about taking away citizenship. It addresses the issue of statelessness, provides human dignity, and supports human rights. As regards the U.S. State Department’s statement on the implementation of CAA, we are of the view that it is misplaced, misinformed and unwarranted,” Jaiswal said.
“We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship Amendment Act on Mar. 11,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters during his daily briefing on Thursday. “We are closely monitoring how this Act will be implemented. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles,” Miller added.
In response, Jaiswal said, “India’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all its citizens. There are no grounds for any concern on treatment of minorities. Vote bank politics should not determine views about a laudable initiative to help those in distress. Lectures by those who have a limited understanding of India’s pluralistic traditions and the region’s post-Partition history are best not attempted.”
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed in Parliament on Dec. 11, 2019, and received assent from the President of India the following day. The law aims to grant citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, except Muslims. Its exclusion of Muslims from the list of eligible communities caused widespread protests in various parts of India, including Assam and Delhi. Although the CAA does not specify the reason for excluding Muslims, it mentions that "the constitutions of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh provide for a specific state religion."
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