The Ministry of Home Affairs has created a new controversy and confusion over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) after the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Foreigners on 1 September. The notification issued on September 1 states that non-Muslim foreign nationals who have entered India by 31 December 2024 will not be taken out of the country immediately, but it has not been said to give citizenship.
Union Minister Dr. Sukanto Majumdar posted on social media x after this order and wrote, ‘Non-Muslims in India till 31 December 2024 will get citizenship under CAA in the country.’ Majumdar also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, calling it a historic decision. However, he later deleted this post and cited the new law, saying that it would allow the minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to stay in India.

In a landmark decision, the govt of India has allowed menorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh & Pakistan – Hindu, SIKH, BUDDHIST, JAIN, JAIN, Jain, Jain, Jain, Jain, Parsi & Christian – Who ENDIA on/Before 31st Indian on/Before Dec 2024 Due to Religious Persecution, to Stay even without valid documents.

A True Step… pic.twitter.com/pvjkzomeou

– Dr. Sukanta majumdar (@drsukantabjp) September 3, 2025

However, the legal status is different from this. According to the rules made under CAA 2019 and it, non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh can get Indian citizenship only if they have come to India by 31 December 2014. That is, the cut-off date of CAA is the same, there is no change in it.

No one will get citizenship under this law

According to experts, the latest order of the Union Home Ministry is not to give citizenship but to exemption from Departation. This means that the non-Muslim foreigners who come to India till 31 December 2024 will not be removed immediately as illegal migrants. In contrast, this discount will not apply to Muslim illegal migrants, against whom the path of action is cleared.

Illegal Muslim migrants will be evacuated out of the country

The government recently reiterated from Parliament and public forums that all intruders from the country would be taken out of the country, but after the order it has become clear that non-Muslim migrants living illegally in the country will not be included in it, that is, the process of illegally living Muslim migrants will continue to continue outside the country.

The debate on this order has now intensified in political circles. The opposition says that the government is discriminating against citizenship and migration policy on religious grounds, while the ruling party is calling it ‘move to protect the aggrieved communities’.

The Union Home Ministry has said that to avoid religious harassment, members of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christian communities who come to India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan till 31 December 2024 will be allowed to stay in the country without passports or other travel documents.

According to the news agency PTI, according to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) implemented last year, Indian citizenship will be provided to these oppressed minorities who came to India on 31 December 2014 or before. This important order issued under the recently implemented Immigration and Foreign (Civil) Act, 2025 will provide relief to a large number of people, especially those who came from Pakistan, who came to India after 2014 and were worried about their future.

What was said in the order?

According to the order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, “Minority communities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who were forced to take shelter in India due to religious harassment or fear of it and entered the country without legitimate documents on or before 31 December 2024, will be exempted from the rules of valid passports and vehicles.”

What are the rules for the citizens of Nepal and Bhutan?

It has been clarified in the order that citizens of Nepal and Bhutan will not need passports and visas to go to India or live here, provided they enter India by border route. This system will continue as before. However, if a Nepali or Bhutani citizen comes to India from China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan, then it will be mandatory for him to have a valid passport.

Similarly, Indian citizens also do not require passport or visa to go to India from the border of Nepal or Bhutan. But if they return to India from any other country other than Nepal or Bhutan (except China, Macau, Hong Kong and Pakistan), then they have to show valid passports. At the same time, Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel who are going to India on duty or out of duty, and their family members (if they are traveling with government transport) will not need passport or visa.

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