Its India's internal political matter: France on EU's anti-CAA resolution

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is an "internal political matter" of India, French diplomatic sources said here on Monday, adding that France, being a founding member of the EU, has reiterated its stance over the controversial legislation on several occasions.

"For France, a founding member of the EU, the CAA is India's internal political matter. We have stated this on several occasions. European Parliament is an institution independent of the Member States and the European Commission," the sources told .

On Sunday, sources said that some members of the EU Parliament sponsored a draft resolution on the citizenship law. However, the legislation has been adopted by due process and through democratic means after a public debate in both Houses of Parliament, they added.

Members of the European Parliament should engage with the Indian government to get a full and accurate assessment of the facts with respect to the legislation "before proceeding further", sources said on Sunday.

Calling CAA an internal matter of India, the sources said that the EU Parliament should not take actions that call into question the rights and authority of democratically elected legislatures in other regions of the world.

"Every society that fashions a pathway to naturalisation, contemplates both a context and criteria. This is not discrimination. In fact, European societies have followed the same approach," the sources pointed out.

"We hope sponsors and supporters of the draft will engage with us to get a full and accurate assessment of the facts before they proceed further. As fellow democracies, the EU Parliament shouldn't take actions that call into question the rights and authority of democratically elected legislatures in other regions of the world," they added.

The amended Citizenship Act grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghstan, and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

( With inputs from ANI )