Assam grants first batch of citizenship under new CAA rules

Guwahati: Assam officials approved six citizenship applications under the Citizenship Amendment Act. The state government confirmed a total of 70 migrants filed for status as of July 7. Parliament passed the law in 2019. The Union government pushed the rules through in March.

This law offers a pathway for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians. It covers migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived before 2015. Implementation remains a volatile political issue here. Protests rocked the state during the drafting process.

Data shows 172,673 foreigners detected in the region since tracking began. Officials deported 31,786 individuals to date. Since May last year, authorities pushed 1,572 migrants back to Bangladesh. Figures include 866 from Sribhumi and 357 from Cachar districts. Railway Police also handed over 68 individuals.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the status of Bengali Hindus in detention centers. He said, "none of them are currently lodged in detention centres." The government expects applications to spike once the Registrar General of India finalizes the 2019 National Register of Citizens draft. Those excluded from the list will likely pursue citizenship via the CAA.