By Muslim Mirror Desk
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has expressed concern over the Indian government’s implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Rules (CAR) to enact the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck recently testified at a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing regarding this development.
“The problematic CAA imposes a religious criterion for asylum seekers in India fleeing neighboring countries. While it offers expedited citizenship for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians, it explicitly excludes Muslims. If the intent of the law were genuinely to protect persecuted religious minorities, it would encompass Rohingya Muslims from Burma, Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan, or Hazara Shi’a from Afghanistan, among others. Denying citizenship based on religion or belief is unacceptable,” stated USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck. “USCIRF calls on members of Congress to continue raising concerns about religious freedom issues in India and to address these matters during congressional discussions with government officials.”
The newly introduced rules mandate that individuals seeking Indian citizenship must demonstrate their arrival in the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Afghanistan before December 31, 2014, thereby excluding those fleeing more recent instances of persecution. This announcement coincides with India’s efforts to repatriate refugees from Burma following the 2021 military coup. Additionally, the rules do not extend citizenship to individuals fleeing non-Muslim majority nations, such as Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka or Uyghur and other Turkic Muslims from China.
The CAA, initially passed in 2019, faced delayed implementation due to widespread and prolonged protests across India. These protests resulted in a severe crackdown by Indian authorities, including the mass arrest of human rights activists from various faith backgrounds.
“Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles, as highlighted by the State Department,” remarked USCIRF Commissioner David Curry. “Even after more than four years since the CAA’s introduction, activists like Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, and numerous others remain unjustly detained under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for peacefully protesting. USCIRF urges the U.S. government to collaborate with Indian authorities to release arbitrarily detained human rights advocates advocating for religious minorities.”
In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern due to its systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom. USCIRF has previously held hearings on religious freedom in India and published informational materials on the CAA and its implications.