Ahmedabad, Oct 13 (IANS) A total of 158 people who had migrated to India from neighbouring countries received Indian citizenship certificates at a ceremony in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, including 126 under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and 32 through the District Collector’s Office.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi presented the certificates at an event organised by the Ahmedabad district administration at the auditorium of SAL Institute of Technology and Engineering.
The beneficiaries included members of minority communities who had faced religious persecution in Pakistan and settled in India.
Addressing the gathering, Sanghavi said the grant of citizenship had brought joy to the families ahead of Diwali, which is about 20 days away.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for introducing the CAA, saying the legislation is intended to provide a secure future for families who had faced religious persecution in neighbouring countries.
“Our country and state are committed to supporting those in distress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the CAA to ensure a secure and bright future for the children of refugee families. Today, thousands of families can lead dignified lives in India,” Sanghavi said.
He also criticised those who opposed the legislation for political reasons, saying they failed to understand the difficulties faced by the affected families.
Highlighting the significance of Indian citizenship and the dignity associated with an Indian passport, he expressed hope that future generations of the beneficiaries would become doctors, engineers and sportspersons and contribute to the country.
Sanghavi referred to the experiences of families including Nirmalaji, Kunwarben and Nandlalji, who had migrated from Pakistan.
He also highlighted the achievements of Dhara Sindhu, a girl who has physical challenges but has won medals in table tennis and floor games at district, state and national levels.
Minister of State for Urban Development, Darshna Vaghela, said: “The CAA, introduced under the leadership of PM Modi and HM Shah, is helping eligible people who had arrived from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan obtain Indian citizenship.”
She also credited the efforts of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Sanghavi.
Citing Dimpalben, an Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation corporator who chairs its Women and Child Welfare Department, Vaghela said: “People who had received citizenship are also taking up positions in public life and contributing to society.”
She congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to fulfil their responsibilities as citizens alongside exercising their rights.
BJP MLA Payal Kukrani said: “The legislation had helped address the longstanding difficulties of minority families who had migrated from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh after facing religious persecution.”
She urged the recipients to uphold the country’s unity and integrity, exercise their constitutional rights and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Three family representatives who had migrated from Pakistan — Narendra Kumar, Shravan Kumar and Shardadevi — expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister and the state leadership.
They described the occasion as a moment of pride and joy comparable to Diwali.
Sujal Mayatra, Director of Census Operations and Director of Citizen Registration in Gujarat, said the CAA, 2019, provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for eligible members of minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
“More than 1,500 people had been granted citizenship so far,” he said. Mayatra said citizenship was not merely a document but also an opportunity for beneficiaries to contribute to the country’s development.
Under Gazette notifications issued in 2016 and 2018, the Centre authorised District Collectors to grant citizenship under Sections 5 and 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, to members of minority communities from the three neighbouring countries.
From 2017 to 2025, Ahmedabad district issued citizenship certificates to more than 1,200 applicants, leading the country in this initiative, according to the district administration.
–IANS
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