Gujarat Election / MHA's decision before Gujarat elections, people from Pakistan-Bangladesh will get citizenship in Mehsana-Anand

Gujarat Election: Before the Gujarat Assembly Election 2022, the Union Home Ministry (MHA) has taken a big decision regarding citizenship. MHA has decided to give citizenship to minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Regarding this, the Union Home Ministry has issued a notification and has told that people will have to apply online for citizenship.

Citizenship will be given under the Citizenship Act 1955

The Central Government has decided to grant Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955 to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and currently residing in two districts of Gujarat. The move to grant citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955 is significant instead of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA).

Explain that the CAA also provides for giving Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, rules have not been made by the government under the Act so far, so no one has been given citizenship under it.

People living in these 2 districts of Gujarat will get citizenship

According to the notification of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), people of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities living in Anand and Mahesana districts of Gujarat, coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, will be given citizenship. According to the notification, registration as a citizen of India will be allowed under Section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Rules, 2009 or they will be given a certificate of citizen of the country.

After verification, the collector will issue citizenship

According to the notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs, minorities (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian) settled in Anand and Mahesana of Gujarat, coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, will have to submit online applications. After this, the collector will do the verification at the district level and after being satisfied after the whole process, will grant Indian citizenship. Certificates will also be issued for the same. Along with the application, the collector will send his report to the central government. Online as well as physical register shall be maintained by the Collector, containing the details of persons so registered or naturalized as citizens of India and a copy thereof shall be sent to the Central Government within a period of seven days of such registration or naturalisation.