The Problématique:

Indian Secularism and Implications of India’s New Citizenship Law for Muslims

Mohammad Umar

 

Abstract: This special issue of the Manchester Journal of Transnational Islamic Law & Practice critically examines the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) of India, a law that has sparked intense national and international debate for its exclusionary and discriminatory impact on Muslim communities. The issue explores how the CAA, in conjunction with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), reconfigures Indian citizenship along religious lines, thereby undermining the constitutional principles of secularism, equality, and justice. It highlights the law’s departure from India’s historically inclusive citizenship framework and its alignment with majoritarian Hindutva ideology. This introduction to the special issue situates the CAA within broader patterns of state-sponsored marginalisation, judicial inertia, and international human rights concerns, including interventions by the United Nations. Drawing on scholarly contributions from six countries, this special issue offers legal analysis, empirical insights, and critical reflections on the implications of the CAA-NRC regime. It also features an interview on the functioning of Foreigners Tribunals in Assam, providing a glimpse into the lived realities of those affected. This collection of articles, interviews, and book reviews aims to serve as a vital academic resource for understanding the legal, political, and moral dimensions of one of the most divisive laws in contemporary India.