Rules for CAA to be framed after COVID-19 vaccination starts: Amit Shah

Dec. 20: In a latest development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the government would consider implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) after the vaccination against Covid-19 begins. “The rules of the CAA are yet to be framed as such a massive process could not be carried out because of coronavirus. As soon as (COVID-19) vaccination starts and coronavirus infection cycle breaks, we will consider it,” Mr Shah said.

After completing his 2-day visit in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah commented on CAA on Sunday, while addressing a press conference in Birbhum. Shah completed his 2-day Bengal tour, which saw the entry of Trinamool heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, along with 6 MLAs, 1 MP and 16 other grassroots leaders to the saffron party’s folds.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) amends the previous Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. It will be applicable to the members of these communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

The Rajya Sabha on December 11, 2019 passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) with as many as 125 MPs voting in favour of it and 99 against it. On December 9, 2019, the CAB Bill was tabled and passed in the Lok Sabha’s Winter Session. President Ram Nath Kovind signed it on 12 December, 2019.