Odisha gives citizenship to 35 Bangladeshi refugees
Odisha's Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has handed citizenship certificates to 35 Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, who migrated to India before 2014, many of whom fled religious persecution.
Thanks to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), these new citizens—many living in southern Odisha for years—can finally access rights and benefits as Indians.
This brings the state's total CAA beneficiaries to 51 so far.
Why does it matter?
The CAA is designed to support minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who faced persecution and discrimination and arrived in India by 2014.
CM Majhi described it as "hope and assurance for persecuted minorities," reflecting India's promise of equality and refuge.
While these families can now start fresh, over a thousand more applicants in Odisha are still waiting for their turn.