Jaipur: Organisations representing Pakistani Hindu migrants have written to the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), seeking removal or revision of the Dec 31, 2014, cut-off date under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The organisations state that thousands who fled religious persecution are excluded from its fast-track citizenship provisions as they arrived in India after the deadline. The letter was written in Oct this year with several case studies and an urge to bring an amendment to the Act in the winter session of Parliament.The organisations, including Seemant Lok Sangathan led by Hindu Singh Sodha, said the exclusion had left many families uncertain about their future. For young migrants, it can mean difficulties in admission to premier colleges, pursuing certain courses and applying for govt jobs.Migrant advocacy groups estimate that Rajasthan has around 25,000-35,000 registered Pakistani Hindu migrants, with Jodhpur accounting for about 18,000. . Nearly half of Rajasthan’s migrants are reported to have arrived after the 2014 cut-off.For many families, the uncertainty over citizenship is making it difficult to plan a future in India, even after years of living here. While some have built homes and enrolled their children in schools, their long-term status remains unresolved. “My extended family members came here in 2019 on long-term visas from Hyderabad, Sindh. If the rules are not changed, they may return to Pakistan,” said Himmat Sodha, a Pakistan-born Indian citizen who arrived in 2012 and was granted citizenship under the CAA.Under the CAA, eligible Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before Dec 31, 2014, can seek citizenship through an expedited route, subject to other legal requirements.
