The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has called for India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to be expanded to include Rohingya Muslims, Bangladeshi Muslims, Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan, and Hazara Shia Muslims from Afghanistan, among other minority groups. The commission emphasized that citizenship in India should not be denied to any individual based on their religion or belief.
In its recent statement, USCIRF raised concerns over the current version of the CAA, which grants expedited citizenship to non-Muslim religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, while excluding Muslims from these provisions. The commission argued that the law should be amended to ensure that all persecuted religious minorities, regardless of their faith, receive the protection and opportunities the law intends to provide.
USCIRF has long been an advocate for religious freedom worldwide, and its latest recommendation underscores the ongoing debate over India’s controversial CAA, which has sparked protests and criticism both domestically and internationally. The USCIRF’s stance aligns with its broader call for equal treatment of all religious communities, urging India to ensure that no individual is denied their fundamental rights due to their religion or belief system.