Page 30 - 15JAN2020E-1

‘CAA fulfils commitments

of Gandhiji, Nehru and

Rajendra Prasad’

Arif Mohammad Khan is of the view that Mahatma Gandhi was one of the proponents of the idea of
giving shelter to non-Muslims facing persecution in Pakistan, mudit mathur quotes him as saying

he passing of the Citizenship ing the nation questioning real inten- formally requested the Governor not to
Amendment Act (CAA) has sion of the Modi government at the time attend the function paying the homage
engulfed the subcontinent when the whole country is facing worst to former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran,
into turmoil. As protests as economic crisis and resultant mass un- a doyen of Kerala politics.
T well as brutal repression of employment as a biggest challenge. In such a scenario BJP found solace
citizens continue, many issues emerge The BJP stalwarts remained ineffec- in the change of narrative emerged
requiring debate and deliberations in tive to counter political moves of Con- recently from a lecture rendered by Gov-
the civil societymaking them informed gress Party over CAA and NRC but an ernor Kerala Arif Mohammad Khan at
citizenry. Philosophers since ancient outreach of Muslim scholar a luminary Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
times have dwelled upon the idea of governor Arif Mohammad Khan gave on“Citizenship institutional and civi-
citizenship and modern states con- strong defence in the support of CAA in lizational,” wherein he highlighted the
tinue to evolve their understanding of the troubled political times of BJP. intricacies of the complex concept of
citizenship. He became focal point once again at citizenship.
Angry protests flared up after pas- national scene when visibly upsetover- Arif has also addressed a seminar in
sage of CAA along the nation after police hisstand on CAA, the Congress par- Varanasi on the subject. Stressing on the
action in Jamia Millia Islamia Univer- tyasked him to stay away from a function issue of granting citizenship to persecut-
sity and Aligarh Muslim University amid it organised to commemorate the role of ed minorities under the new enactment
doubts and unaddressed anxiety among former chief minister K Karunakaran, a he said, “Mahatma Gandhi was one of the
minorities especially Muslims. Student prominent face in the politics of Kerala. proponents of the idea of giving shelter
community continued its protests rock- Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala to non-Muslims facing persecution in

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