CAA will be implemented across India within a week, says Union Minister Shantanu Thakur in West Bengal (Image Source - India Today)
Union Minister Shantanu Thakur has made a resolute proclamation in the heart of Bengal, stating that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, commonly known as CAA, will be set in motion across the length and breadth of India within the forthcoming seven days. This bold declaration was made during his address to the public in Kakdwip, South 24 Parganas, on a vibrant Sunday, the 28th of January.
Speaking passionately in Bengali, Thakur emphatically stated, “With the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, and in the coming seven days, the CAA will find its place in every nook and cranny of our beloved nation. I stake my reputation on this promise. The implementation of CAA is not confined to West Bengal alone; it shall resonate in every state of our diverse land within a week.”
Shantanu Thakur, a prominent figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the serving Lok Sabha MP from Bangaon, Bengal, holds the esteemed position of Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
The minister's assurance extends beyond West Bengal, assuring the prompt enactment of the act throughout India. This commitment echoes the sentiments expressed earlier by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the expeditious implementation of CAA. Shah, on the 27th of December last year, firmly asserted the government's determination, declaring that "no force can hinder its execution."
In his fervent address, Thakur also reiterated the stance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the implementation of CAA. Previously, on the 27th of December, Shah had declared the BJP-led government's unwavering resolve to enforce CAA, dismissing any opposition as futile.
During a significant rally at Kolkata's iconic Esplanade, Shah directed scathing criticisms towards Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has vehemently opposed the implementation of CAA. Shah underscored issues such as infiltration, corruption, political violence, and appeasement, urging the populace to oust her government from Bengal and elect BJP in the forthcoming 2026 Assembly elections.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, passed by Parliament on the 11th of December 2019, received presidential assent the following day and was duly notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Act aims to extend Indian nationality to persecuted minorities belonging to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Those migrants who arrived in India until the 31st of December 2014 may be granted citizenship under this legislation.
Despite facing opposition and protests, the CAA is founded on India’s commitment to safeguard persecuted minorities in its neighboring countries, as outlined in the Nehru-Liaquat agreement. However, it has faced unwarranted criticism, including the infamous Shaheen Bagh protests and the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots in 2020, fueled by baseless allegations against its provisions.
In line with parliamentary protocols, legislation rules are expected to be formulated within six months of presidential assent. However, due to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Home Ministry has periodically sought extensions from parliamentary committees to draft the rules.
Over the past two years, more than 30 district magistrates and home secretaries from nine states have been empowered to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities arriving from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act of 1955.
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