New Delhi, 12 March: The Citizenship Amendment Act was enacted on March 11 by the administration led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and since then, there have been intermittent protests across the nation. The law, which has drawn criticism for allegedly discriminating against Muslims, was implemented just a few days prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections announcement.
Muslim organizations collectively condemned the application of CAA. They wrote in joint press release that,”We, the undersigned organizations hereby issue this joint press statement to express our unified stance against discriminatory legislation that undermines the fundamental principles of equality and justice. We vehemently condemn the enforcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 just before the announcement of general elections.
The act introduces provisions that sabotage the principles of equality and secularism enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Article 14 of the Indian constitution embodies the general principles of equality before the law and prohibits unreasonable discrimination between persons based on religion.
The insertion of Clause (b) in Section 2 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, establishes biased treatment – by mentioning individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan, who entered the Indian territory before December 31, 2014; shall not be treated as an illegal migrant.
The act sheepishly avoids mentioning Muslims infringing the fundamental right to equality and secularism guaranteed by the Indian constitution by selectively granting citizenship based on religious affiliation; thus undermining the principle of equal treatment under the law. This discriminatory legislation threatens the social fabric of the country eroding the foundational principles of inclusivity and diversity.
The approval of the Citizen Amendment Bill by the Indian Parliament created a nationwide uproar and protests from Muslims and other sections of society, who felt an immediate responsibility to protect the Constitution of India.
The timing chosen for the implementation of the act is also questionable and shows the evident political motive of creating a religious divide in the society for narrow-minded political interests.
We believe that citizenship should be granted based on principles of equality, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed. The Act’s provisions directly contradict these principles and threaten the secular fabric of our nation.
We urge the government to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and uphold the values of inclusivity and equality enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Signed,
Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani: President, Jamitul Ulema Hind
Syed Sadatullah Husaini: President, Jamaat Islami Hind
Maulana Asghar Imam Mehdi Salafi: President, Jamiat Ahle Hadith Hind
Maulana Faisal Wali Rahmani: Ameer, Imarat e Sharia
Maulana Aneesur Rahman Qasmi: Vice President All India Milli Council
Maulana Yaseen Usmani Badayuni: Vice President All India Milli Council
Malik Moatasim Khan: Vice President Jamaat Islami Hind
Mohammad Saleem Engineer: Vice President Jamaat Islami Hind
Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi: General Secretary Jamiatul Ulema Hind
Dr. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas
Maulana Niyaz Farooqui
Shaikh Mujtaba Farooque
Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, Ex-Chairman, Delhi Minorities Commission
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