Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) bears little relevance in Assam, foreseeing minimal applications for Indian citizenship within the state.
This statement followed the launch of a portal by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, enabling eligible individuals to apply for citizenship under the CAA 2019. Sarma, during a press briefing, expressed confidence that Assam would witness the lowest number of applications on the portal.
The CAA, implemented by the Union government on Monday, aims to expedite citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
Sarma clarified that the act stipulates a deadline for citizenship applications set at December 31, 2014. In Assam, he explained, only those who applied for citizenship but did not find their names in the National Register of Citizens update would apply for CAA.
Further emphasizing his stance, the CM asserted the BJP’s anticipated success in securing 13 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam. He also made a prediction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reelection for a third term following the Lok Sabha elections.