158 refugees including 126 CAA beneficiaries get Indian citizenship certificates in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and other dignitaries presented Indian citizenship certificates to 158 refugees at a ceremony organised by the Ahmedabad District Administration at the SAL Institute of Technology and Engineering. Of the beneficiaries, 126 received citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), while 32 were granted citizenship through the Collector’s Office.

Addressing the gathering, Sanghavi said that although Diwali was still 20 days away, the grant of Indian citizenship had already brought a festive atmosphere to the homes of the beneficiary families. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for facilitating citizenship for people from minority communities who had faced religious persecution in Pakistan and sought a new life in India.

Emphasising the significance of the CAA, Sanghavi said those criticising the legislation for political reasons often overlooked the hardships faced by affected families. He highlighted the dignity and opportunities associated with Indian citizenship, particularly for children of refugee families, and said the initiative would enable future generations to pursue careers in fields such as medicine, engineering and sports.

158 refugees including 126 CAA beneficiaries get Indian citizenship certificates in Ahmedabad
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Sanghavi also referred to the experiences of families, including Nirmalaji, Kunwarben and Nandlalji, who had migrated from Pakistan. He highlighted the achievements of Dhara Sindhu, a girl who has excelled in sports, including table tennis and floor games, despite physical challenges, winning medals at the district, state and national levels.

Minister of State for Urban Development Darshna Vaghela said the CAA, introduced under the leadership of Modi and Shah, was helping eligible people who had migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan obtain Indian citizenship. She said the initiative was enabling beneficiaries to secure their rights and participate in the country’s development.

Citing the example of Dimpalben, an Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation corporator and chairperson of its Women and Child Welfare Department, Vaghela said people who had received Indian citizenship were also assuming positions of responsibility in society. She congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to fulfil their duties as citizens while contributing to the country’s progress.

Three representatives of families who had migrated from Pakistan — Narendra Kumar, Shravan Kumar and Shardadevi — expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister and state leaders for helping their families obtain Indian citizenship. 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 Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for eligible members of minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. He said more than 1,500 people had been granted citizenship so far and described citizenship as an important step towards enabling beneficiaries to contribute to the country’s development.

According to information shared at the event, the Government of India authorised district collectors through Gazette notifications issued in 2016 and 2018 to grant citizenship under Sections 5 and 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, to members of minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Between 2017 and 2025, Ahmedabad district issued citizenship certificates to more than 1,200 applicants, making it the leading district in the country in this initiative, the statement said.

MLAs Amit Thaker, Kaushik Jain, Babubhai Patel and Jitendra Patel, Ahmedabad District Collector Bhavya Verma, representatives of the Visthapit Hindu Sahayata Manch and the Sindh Minority Association, senior district officials and citizens attended the programme. DeshGujarat