India Grants Citizenship to First Batch Under Controversial New Law

In a move that has drawn widespread criticism, India granted citizenship to 14 people on Wednesday under the country’s new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Independent reported yesterday.

The CAA, a key election promise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, fast-tracks citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before 2014.

The law has been lambasted for being discriminatory towards Muslims, sparking protests, particularly in states bordering Bangladesh, where people remain anxious about its implementation.