There have been lull in the political circles now, as the there is no Parliament session going on. When there is parliament session at that time political atmosphere is very hot and at that time print and audio/visual media is buzzing with activities. You all are aware that before the session everyone knows that what business is going to be transcribed during the upcoming parliament session, but most of the times the opposition parties are ill prepared for the discussion on the bill, specially in the lower house (Lok Sabha), where everyone knows that govt is in majority and they will get the requisite number of votes for getting any issued passed, but whereas in the upper house (Rajya Sabha), the present govt is short of majority, there you might see some fruitful discussions. But in Lok Sabha although discussion happens but knowing the end results they seem to be lacklustre.
The above is my observations, here are some observation/thought which I would like to share with you all on this Tuesday of Jan 2020.
As you are aware that Citizen Amendment Bill (CAB) has been passed by the both houses of parliament after prolonged discussions in the parliament and now it has become Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). As far as National Register for Citizen(NRC) is concerned , it has been started by govt on the instructions of Supreme Court (SC), which ordered the Central Govt to complete this exercise in state of Assam. Some of you may not know or remember that NRC was part of understanding of the accord signed by Rajiv Gandhi with Assom Gana Parishad (AGP) in 1985, which was delayed by various successive central govts, and in the NDA govt of 2014 was instructed by SC to complete the same. Similarly the Congress party was first political party who mooted the idea of CAB, and there have been enough statesmen by various Congress leaders why CAB is necessary for the country, and there have been TV recordings of the statements by Congress leaders on the floor of house in parliament for the same. Even UPA govt introduced the CAB this bill in the parliament but never pursued it.
Now when CAA has been passed and effective Jan 10, 2020 it has become law. Bit Congress and some of the opposition parties have started agitating against this act after the bill was passed by parliament. They are well aware that all these opposing parties were part of parliament who passed this bill. Now what is their grouse against this act- They say ‘ our constitution have given all the citizens the same right, they why this law should be against the persons from one community (Muslim)’. First thing this law does not differentiate between any citizens of the country, whosoever religion they belong to. It only say that the people from Islamic (Muslim) nations Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who are minority in these countries, people of Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Catholic religion who are facing religious persecution can become Indian citizens. In this list of people following Islam religion are excluded, the reason being they are following Islam religion in Islamic country. It is not mentioned that Muslims from these countries can become citizen of our country for some different reasons and the same thing is happening over the years. There are many Muslims from these countries who have been granted Indian citizenship.
I have one question for all these political parties and activists, if you all are saying that it is written in constitution that there will be no discrimination based on religion, although there is no discrimination against Muslim citizen in this act. Then what is there stand on common civil code for all the citizens of this country, as this is also written in the constitution. Then these parties /activists will have no answer and all the time till date they are saying that Muslim should be allowed to practice Islamic personal law. These activists/political parties will always talk about Muslims, have they ever talk about 5 lakhs Kashmiri Pandits, who were thrown out from Kashmir by Muslim agitators/terrorists.
One more thing Congress ruled states are saying that they will not implement CAA in their state, I am shocked about this decisions of their’s. How they can be so ignorant of the law and rule of the country, which clearly says once that act has been passed by Parliament and approved by President, then the act is applicable to all the states of India irrespective of whether the state is being ruled by the different political party other then which is ruling at centre. Kerala’s assemble was the first to pass the resolution about non implementation of this law, followed by Punjab assembly which also passed similar resolution. Now all the Congress CMs are talking in this language.. Although some of the legal experts of Congress party including Kapil Sibal gave the statement that once the bill is passed by both houses of parliament and becomes act, then all the states are duty bound by the constitution to implement that act. These parties by their this action are making mockery of Indian democratic laws and constitution.
So what you say my friends.
Waiting for your views/feed backs/comments.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
21st Jan 2020
R. N. Mungale.
Very true.