India clarifies its citizenship law accused of targeting Muslims, before imposing it

The Indian government clarified on Monday March 11 the contours of the very controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which aims to make it easier to obtain Indian nationality for non-Muslim refugees from neighboring countries.

In the midst of a political campaign, the return of this law, paused for several years, is polarizing Indian society.

Students protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Guwahati, India, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. © Anupam Nath / AP

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With our correspondent in Bangalore,

Côme Bastin

The

Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)

is a long-standing demand of Hindu nationalists, who say they want to help persecuted minorities in Muslim countries around India.

For this reason, the government in New Delhi repeats that the CAA

does not punish Muslims

, but comes to the rescue of others.

Breaking of equality before the law?

However, many saw

its announcement in 2019

as a breakdown in equality before the law and a way of targeting Muslims.

Massive demonstrations

then

broke out in New Delhi, before repression and then lockdowns linked to the Covid-19 pandemic broke down the protest: we no longer heard about the law either.

Detailed rules

The government of Narendra Modi has just published its detailed rules.

Only three countries are concerned, namely Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Only Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain or Parsi minorities will be able to claim Indian nationality.

Applicants must speak one of the 22 languages ​​of India.

A few months before the elections, the announcement delights supporters of the BJP, for whom Narendra Modi is fulfilling a campaign promise.

The opposition denounces the return of an unconstitutional law which

divides between religions

, enacted for political purposes.

Read alsoIndia: how the government of Narendra Modi increasingly stigmatizes Muslims

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