The Union Cabinet has once again approved the Citizenship
Amendment Bill (CAB). Sangh bhakts are defending it blindly. Some ‘neutrals’ are
supporting it out of their concern for the 'persecuted religious minority' from
neighboring countries, even as they actively contribute to the persecution of minority
in India, through their voice or silence!
On the face of it, it may appear that providing asylum to persecuted
minorities is a noble objective. However, I am convinced that the real motives
of the CAB is simply sinister. The point I am making in this post is that the
CAB has nothing to do with saving the persecuted religious minorities (It will not even protect the Tamilians who had to infiltrate into India, to escape persecution by Sri Lanka during the civil war days). Its only
aim is to persecute India's largest religious minority- Muslims. Let me
elaborate.
The CAB, as reported, is granting citizenship rights to all
those Non-Muslim 'illegal migrants' from neighboring countries of Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Afghanistan who infiltrated into Indian before December 2014.
They just have to show that they were in India for five years- no matter how
they entered India.
Will anyone verify whether these illegal migrants
were really subjected to any persecution, before granting them citizenship?
No. All proceedings against them will stand abated with the passing of CAB and
they become Indian citizens.
Please note, the Bill is not prospective. It is not to grant
asylum to people from religious persecution in the future. It is only for
granting citizenship to those who had already migrated to India before December
2014- the cutoff date. No matter what their objective or motive was while
illegally entering India.
So, what is the point?
The point is in reading the CAB with the proposed National
Register of Citizens (NRC).
By virtue of CAB, every person in India who can prove their
presence in India before December 2014 can get automatic entry into NRC. Not
so, for Indian Muslims. Muslims in India will be required to prove their
continuous citizenship and residence from 1955 or whatever cutoff date is
adopted for entry into NRC. We all know how difficult and challenging it is to produce documents to the satisfaction of NRC officials, from the horror stories we get to hear from Assam NRC experience! At the same
time, all other religious people will be protected by virtue of CAB.
Now you appreciate the danger?
With the passing of CAB and adoption of NRC, India's Muslims
who cannot 'satisfy' the NRC officials will lose their citizenship, while all
illegal migrants from neighboring countries will get admission into NRC if they
belong to any of the other major religions of India!
Denial or discrimination in granting citizenship (or any
other rights), based on one's religion is totally against the basic features of
the Indian Constitution. Supreme Court has made it clear that Secular character
is one of the basic features of our Constitution, which cannot even be amended
by the Parliament!
If the intention is to grant protection to those who are
persecuted on religious grounds why exclude Muslims alone? If Muslims are not subject
to any persecution (as some claim), they don't have to be given any asylum on
that ground. Citizenship should not be automatic on religious grounds.
Criminalizing abandonment of wives by Muslims alone (through
a null & void triple talaq) was another example of such acts of discrimination
by this Govt. If the intention was good, they could have made abandonment of
wives by anyone (including for the lofty objectives like becoming the PM) a
criminal offense!
So, the proposed CAB and NRC together will destroy the very
idea of India, as we know it!
Now the question is, who all will allow it to be passed in
the Parliament?
And if the Parliament cannot prevent this unconstitutional
law from being passed, how soon and how effectively Indian Supreme Court will
stand up to protect the very essence of the Constitution?
Keeping my fingers crossed on the future of India!
