Anti-CAA Protests

The Anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests were a series of nationwide demonstrations in India that erupted in 2019, following the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Enacted in December 2019, the CAA aimed to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. The law faced significant criticism for being seen as discriminatory against Muslims, as it excludes them from its provisions, raising concerns about secularism and equality as enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

The protests were marked by widespread participation, including students, activists, and various civil society groups. Major cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and others witnessed large-scale demonstrations, sit-ins, and marches. Protesters argued that the CAA, when combined with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), could render many Muslim citizens stateless. The movement also intersected with broader concerns about human rights, democratic values, and government policies.

The protests were often accompanied by police action, resulting in clashes, arrests, and internet shutdowns in several regions. The Indian government maintained that the CAA is a humanitarian law meant to protect religious minorities facing persecution in neighboring countries and dismissed allegations of discrimination. Despite this, the protests persisted, becoming one of the largest demonstrations in India since the Independence Movement.

In April 2022, BOOM fact-checked a video linked to anti-CAA protests in West Bengal, which was falsely presented with a communal claim.

BOOM found that the original incident occurred during protests against the CAA and was unrelated to any communal clashes. The video was from the 2019 anti-CAA protests but was shared with misleading information to suggest communal violence.