The law changes India’s naturalization process for acquiring citizenship, amending the law that previously prohibited “illegal immigrants” — those who enter the country without proper documentation, or outstay their visas — from becoming Indian citizens. BJP leaders justify excluding Muslims, countering that the goal is to aid victims of religious persecution in their home countries. A government official noted that Muslims in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh cannot, by definition, face persecution because these are Muslim-majority countries. These developments have not only emboldened Hindu nationalists, but also contributed to a growing sense of insecurity among Indian Muslims. Domestically, this religious test for citizenship has prompted fears that the government would eventually strip citizenship from as many as 200 million Muslims citizens.

Source: Washington Post December 13, 2019 10:52 UTC