By Admin 
A new report in Britain has warned that under the current laws, about 90 lakh people, or 13 percent of the country’s population, may lose their British citizenship. This report has been released by two organizations named Runnymede Trust and Reprieve. According to the report, these laws especially affect people belonging to the Muslim community, South Asia, Middle East and Africa.
Muslim Home Secretary is the problem for Muslims
The report said that Britain’s Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has the power to take away a person’s citizenship if she feels that the person can take citizenship of another country. Even if he has no personal connection with that country. This right is exercised in the name of national security or public interest. The report describes this as an ‘excessive and covert’ power, which has become a major threat to the Muslim community.
More impact on countries like India and Pakistan
The countries most affected by this include India (9.84 lakh people), Pakistan (6.79 lakh people) and Bangladesh. Apart from these, British citizens from Somalia, Nigeria, North Africa and the Middle East are also in danger. The report says that three in five people of color may be affected, while only one in 20 among white British people. This means that people of color are at 12 times greater risk.
If Muslims are expelled from Britain, they will take refuge in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Rules changed citing Windrush scam
The report is reminiscent of the Windrush scandal, where British citizens of Caribbean origin were stripped of their citizenship and deported. Organizations say that these laws create two levels of citizenship. One is permanent for white British people, the other is conditional for Muslim and minority communities.
If we talk about previous changes-
- In 2022, a law was made that citizenship can be taken away without notice.
- A new law came in 2025, under which even if the court finds snatching of citizenship wrong, the citizenship will not be returned until the appeal is completed. This may take years.
Demand to remove section 40(2) in Britain
Since 2010, the citizenship of more than 200 people, mostly Muslims, has been snatched away in the name of ‘public interest’. The famous case is that of Shamima Begum, whose citizenship was snatched, but Bangladesh refused to give her her citizenship.
The organizations have demanded that these rights be immediately banned and Section 40(2) of the British Nationality Act be completely removed. The report warns that if nationalist politics increases, these rights may be misused.
Britain’s Home Department has not yet commented on this report. Experts say that these laws are creating a feeling of insecurity in the Muslim community.