In a post on social media platform X, it said CAA applicants will be able to make free calls from anywhere in the country and get information related to the new law. The helpline will be available from 8 am to 8 pm, it said.
The ministry had notified the rules under the CAA on Monday.
“Helpline number to assist applicants of Indian citizenship under #CAA -2019 is being started soon. Applicants can make free calls from anywhere in India & get info. related to CAA-2019. Helpline to be available from 8 am to 8 pm,” the home ministry said in the post on X.
The law will pave the way for Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi refugees who came to India before December 31, 2014, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to acquire Indian citizenship without having a valid passport of these countries or an Indian visa.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in Parliament in December 2019. The Lok Sabha passed the bill on December 9 while the Rajya Sabha passed it on December 11. Amid protests against the CAA, the ministry released a statement, seeking to allay fears of discrimination against Muslims in India, saying 18 crore Indian Muslims have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts and no citizen would be asked to produce any documents to prove their citizenship.
