Shillong, January 29: Union Minister Shantanu Thakur has expressed confidence that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will be enforced throughout India in the next seven days.
As per India Today, addressing a public gathering in Kakdwip, South 24 Parganas in Bengal, Thakur assured the audience, stating, “I can guarantee that in the next seven days, not just in West Bengal, but the CAA will be implemented across India.” Thakur, the BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Bangaon, Bengal, echoed the sentiments of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the CAA.
Last December, Amit Shah had declared that the BJP-led central government would implement the CAA, emphasizing that no obstacles could hinder its execution. The statement was directed at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a strong critic of the CAA. During a significant rally at Kolkata’s Esplanade, Shah criticized Mamata Banerjee on various fronts, including infiltration, corruption, political violence, and appeasement. He urged the public to vote for the BJP in the 2026 Assembly elections, aiming to replace the current government.
Shah clarified that the intended beneficiaries of the CAA have an equal right to citizenship as anyone else. Since its passage in Parliament and receiving the President’s assent in 2019, the CAA has sparked widespread protests across India, with the Opposition vehemently opposing it.
According to PTI, the CAA rules are prepared and awaiting notification by the Centre. The official also mentioned the existence of an online portal for the CAA, ensuring a digitalized process. Applicants are expected to declare the year of entry into India without travel documents, with no additional documentation required, as per the official statement.