Gandhinagar: In a step under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 40 eligible individuals will be granted Indian citizenship certificates at a special ceremony scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Odhav Nagar in Gujarat’s Patan district.
The event will be presided over by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Harsh Sanghavi.
On this occasion, the Thakor community will also felicitate the Union Minister in recognition of his service, officials said.
This initiative is part of the Central government’s implementation of the CAA, which aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindu refugees from neighbouring countries.
By granting legal citizenship to eligible individuals, the government seeks to ensure they can lead secure and dignified lives within Indian society.
Officials note that the distribution of these certificates not only provides legal status but also opens access to rights and benefits accorded to Indian citizens.
The Gujarat government, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, is actively working to implement the CAA and extend its protection to those who qualify under the law.
On December 11, 2024, a significant ceremony was held in Ahmedabad where 56 Pakistani nationals, who had been residing in Gujarat for more than two decades, were granted Indian citizenship.
The event was presided over by Union Minister Sanghavi.
Earlier, on August 18, 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah distributed citizenship certificates to 188 Hindu refugees from Pakistan during a ceremony at the Pandit Deendayal Auditorium in Ahmedabad.
In September 2023, another event took place where 108 Hindus from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were conferred Indian citizenship in Ahmedabad.
Union Minister Sanghavi officiated the ceremony.
As part of this initiative, the state has conducted several citizenship distribution drives across districts like Ahmedabad and Patan.
As of now, more than 400 individuals — primarily Hindu refugees from Pakistan, with some from Bangladesh and Afghanistan — have been officially granted Indian citizenship.
These individuals had been residing in India for years, many for more than two decades, and were awaiting legal recognition.
(IANS)
