4 minute read
India implements controversial citizenship law ahead of vote
from MONITOR 32
In March the Indian government implemented a controversial citizenship law more than four years after it was passed in parliament. Critics, including the opposition parties, said the law discriminated against Muslims and questioned the timing of the move just weeks before the country’s general elections. India specialist Zainul Abid reports.
Urdu-language media, which generally speak for the Muslim community, criticised the government move
On 11 March the Indian government said it would implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), triggering protests from various opposition parties.
The law allows Indian citizenship for “persecuted” non-Muslim refugees and asylum seekers from India’s neighbouring countries Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Even if they had illegally entered India before 31 December 2014 or overstayed their residence permits, they would now be eligible to apply for Indian citizenship.
The law triggered nation-wide violent protests when it was passed in 2019, resulting in more than 100 deaths and thousands being arrested by law enforcement agencies.
Prominent English-language daily The Indian Express reported that Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka and the Rohingyas in Myanmar – persecuted minorities in their countries – also do not come under the CAA.
After implementing the law, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said, “We had said we will bring CAA. The Congress party opposed the CAA… PM Modi honoured Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain refugees through CAA.”
Opposition parties, including the Congress party, pointed out that the government announcement was made ahead of the general elections by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in order to consolidate Hindu votes.
Congress party leader Shashi Tharoor said, “It is morally and constitutionally wrong. Introducing religion as a criterion for citizenship goes against the principles of the Constitution.”
Similarly, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party president Asaduddin Owaisi said the law “is meant to only target Muslims, it serves no other purpose".
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal state, home to a large Muslim population, said she would steadfastly oppose "anything that discriminates” against people.
The government in the southern Kerala state said the federal action aims to “divide the people, stir up communal feelings and undermine the basic principles of the constitution”.
The chief minister of another southern state, Tamil Nadu, called it an "attempt" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “salvage his sinking ship” by exploiting religious sentiments for political gains.
The move has also sparked protests in some parts of the country including in the north-eastern Assam state, where at least five people had died during violent demonstrations against the CAA in 2019. Opposition parties in the state called a protest strike against the law on 12 March.
Security has also been tightened in the capital, Delhi – in particular in Jamia Nagar, an epicentre of the anti-CAA protests in 2019.
Media reaction
While pro-government media hailed the government decision, there was criticism in the Urdu language media.
Welcoming the federal government decision, Hindi daily Hindustan said in an editorial: “Solving the problems of those forced to come to India from Pakistan or Bangladesh must be a priority for the country.”
Popular Hindi daily Dainik Jagran said the critics of the law were playing “cheap politics”, adding that state governments had no say in granting citizenship to anyone.
In his prime time debate on leading English language channel Republic TV, anchor Arnab Goswami called the CAA the “most humanitarian law”, adding the criticism against it was “fake propaganda” by the opposition.
However, Urdu-language media, which generally speak for the Muslim community, criticised the government move.
A report by popular Urdu daily Inquilab accused the Modi government of playing the "politics of polarisation" ahead of the general elections by notifying the "controversial" act.
Prominent foreign affairs journalist Suhasini Haider said: “Apart from being discriminatory, the law is unnecessary, as those eligible could have been granted citizenship directly by the govt years ago.”
“Pulling out communal cards just before elections and notifying CAA rules on the eve of Ramadan are nothing less than divisive politics from PM Modi,” activist Sujat Ambedkar said on X.
“It is not acceptable to implement any law like the Indian Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA) in an environment where all citizens of the country live with social harmony,” popular Tamil actor Thalapathy Vijay said.
