'Citizenship to Pak Hindus a conspiracy by Modi to tarnish nation's image': Pakistani's bizarre claim (WATCH)

Social media erupted in outrage following the circulation of a video featuring a Pakistani national alleging that India's recent issuance of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was a deliberate tactic by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to tarnish Pakistan's international reputation, particularly amidst the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

On May 15, the Indian government issued citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to 14 individuals. This law provides Indian nationality to persecuted migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, excluding Muslims. Citizenship certificates were granted to 47-year-old Dayal Das, his son Bharat Kumar, his daughter Yashoda, and 11 others by the Union Home Secretary after their applications were processed online through a designated portal.

Also read: 'Thank PM Modi, Amit Shah': Recipients of citizenship certificate under CAA cherish new lease of life (WATCH)

While the recipients of Indian citizenship expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for giving them a new "lease of life," a Pakistani man has accused Pakistani Hindus of colluding with PM Modi to tarnish Pakistan's global image, portraying it as inhospitable to its Hindu minority population.

"Why did Pakistani Hindus get citizenship in India? Modi government is in power in India. Elections are going on in the country. Modi's party BJP is a Hindu extremist party. It's a game. Pakistani Hindus went from here and Indian government gave them nationality to tarnish image of Pakistan in the world. They wanted to project Pakistan as a place unsafe for Hindus and conditions that are not worthy to live in. That's why India gave citizenship to these Hindu so that this gets highlighted and globally Pakistan faces this allegation that we're not a good home country," the Pakistani man said in a video that has now gone viral on X, formerly Twitter.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was enacted in December 2019 to grant Indian nationality to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. Although the CAA received the president's assent shortly after its enactment, the rules for granting Indian citizenship were not issued until March 11 of this year, following a delay of over four years.

In the wake of this viral video, several irked Indian citizens slammed the Pakistani man with several users highlighting the ongoing atrocities against minorities in the neighbouring country.

"Abduction conversion rape are no atrocities in crucible of terror Pakistan," said one irked India.

Another added, "Pakistan already has a terrorist image. India doesn't need to tarnish any further."

A third user commented, "Delusional zombies."

Also read: Pak journalist reveals why UAE denies visas to Pakistanis: Drugs, BAPS temple fury, prostitution & more |WATCH

Last month, UN experts expressed dismay at the continuing lack of protection for young women and girls from the minority communities in Pakistan. They said the country needs to uphold its obligations under the relevant international covenant.

“Christian and Hindu girls remain particularly vulnerable to forced religious conversion, abduction, trafficking, child, early and forced marriage, domestic servitude and sexual violence,” the experts said.

“The exposure of young women and girls belonging to religious minority communities to such heinous human rights violations and the impunity of such crimes can no longer be tolerated or justified,” a statement from the Office of the High Commissioner, United Nations Human Rights, said quoting the experts.

They expressed concern that courts often validate forced marriages and religious conversions of girls from religious minorities, frequently using religious law to justify keeping victims with their abductors instead of returning them to their parents. "Perpetrators often escape accountability, with police dismissing these crimes as 'love marriages'," they added.