Page 38 - 31JAN2020E3

Politics hots up amidst

CAA row in Assam

Series of protests by students, singers, academicians, writers, journalists, etc are being held
across the state to demand withdrawal of the CAA, reports nava thakuria

ost of northeast Indian cratic Alliance (NDA) enjoys the major- however clarified that India has provi-
localities, precisely the ity. It was later passed in Rajya Sabha (11 sions for Muslim victims of persecution
Brahmaputra valley Dec) with significant vote differences and they are being given citizenship on
of Assam, are passing and subsequently endorsed by Presi- case to case basis. At the same pace, he
M through an uproarious dent next day. assured that Indian Muslims need not
situation as the Citizenship Amend- Putting voices for the specific bill to worry as the CAB (CAA) would not
ment Bill 2019 (CAB) was passed in the that aimed to amend the Citizenship affect them.
Parliament and subsequently endorsed Act 1955, Union home minister Amit On the northeastern region, where
by the President. A series of protest- Shah quoted Mahatma Gandhi as say- anti-CAB protests had already gained
demonstrations were observed with ing on 26 September 1947 that Hindu momentum, Shah declared that the
the participation of locals including and Sikh people living in Pakistan can amended CAB had exempted all
student leaders, singers, academicians, fearlessly come to India as it would be States under the inner line permit
writers, journalists, etc with the sole the duty of India to give them shelter (ILP) arrangement and localities de-
demand to repeal the Citizenship and jobs. During the RS debates, Shah clared under the sixth schedule to the
Amendment Act 2019 (CAA). also pointed out that the Liaquat-Nehru Constitution. With the amendments
The CAB, which argued for Indian pact on 8 April 1950 agreed that both northeastern States namely Arunachal
citizenship to religious persecuted Pakistan and India would treat respec- Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and late-
asylum seekers including Hindu, Sikh, tive minorities with dignity. ly Manipur were given immunities,
Buddhist, Christian, Parsi, Jain fami- On the debate, why Muslims have whereas major areas of Assam, Megha-
lies in Muslim dominated Pakistan, been kept aside in the process, Shah laya and Tripura were also kept outside
Afghanistan and Bangladesh (who categorically sated that Pakistan, Af- the CAA.
came prior to 31 December 2014), was ghanistan and Bangladesh follow their Nonetheless, the Brahmaputra
easily passed in Lok Sabha (on 9 De- constitutions where it is defined that valley of Assam erupted in a series of
cember) where the ruling Bhartiya those are Islamic nations and no Mus- protests against the CAA for many
Janata Party (BJP) led National Demo- lim can be religious minority there. He weeks now. Assamese protesters have

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