February 1, 2020
European Union says CAA dangerously divisive
Syed Rifaquat Ali
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed in the Upper and Lower Houses of Indian parliament without any comprehensive debate has been condemned not only throughout India but all over the world.
The European Union lawmakers, numbering 154, have proposed a resolution that terms CAA a contentious law 'discriminatory and dangerously divisive' which may lead to the largest statelessness crisis in the world and cause widespread human suffering.
The lawmakers belong to the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament from 26 countries. The Resolution states that CAA not only contradicts Article 14 of the Indian constitution but also India's international obligations.
The lawmakers have pointedly asked the Indian government to stop "criminalization of the protests" currently in progress by all religious groups: Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and so on.
The protest against CAA, which took roots in New Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, a predominant Muslim area, has spread to a large number of cities --- Lucknow, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kerala etc. etc. --- and shows no sign to abate unless the central government withdraws the draconian law, targeted especially against the Indian Muslims.
Muslim women, many with babies as small as five months, have organized sit-in protest in the open in Shaheen Bagh, despite biting-cold weather, against the CAA funky law.
But the BJP government, most venomous in nature, is unmoved and the protest continues.
The Delhi assembly election is slated for February 8 and BJP leaders, including the prime minister, Narender Modi and home minister, Amit Shah, are holding a slew of rallies to take away the power from chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the dark horse who won 67 seats out of 70 in the last assembly election. The BJP has already lost in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand assembly elections in less than one year.
And now BJP is desperate to win the Delhi assembly election since its image has taken a beating in North India. But Arvind Kejriwal will definitely return to power in Delhi since the people want him. He is a charismatic personality, highly honest, most dynamic, and
above all a messiah in the making.
People, old and young, love him for his openness and simplicity and has no hunger for wealth unlike the corrupt BJP leaders who are the greatest liars on this planet. In Shaheen Bagh thousands and thousands of men and women are sitting in dharna (protest) day and night, and yet not a single BJP leader has taken pains to engage the protesters for a dialogue in order to overcome the crisis.
The protesters have filed about 140 petitions in Supreme Court against CAA. The Court has asked the BJP government to reply within four weeks for further swift action.
The detention of political leaders in Kashmir is another worrying factor for BJP which is facing a barrage of allegations for bad governance.
The USA is perhaps mulling over the infringement of democratic rights in Kashmir and may put sanctions on India which has closed its eyes towards abuse of human rights in J&K.
In Australia too, there has been a loud protest against CAA and human rights violation in Kashmir. All democracies in the world must speak out against the vicious BJP government which is day dreaming of a Hindu Rashtra in pluralistic country.
The BJP government is a pawn in the hands of RSS and it seems Narender Modi is nearing the doomsday. Because he has lost his senses when he says CAA and Kashmir lockdown is India's internal matter.
All democratic countries in the world should warn Modi in one voice: Mend your grubby and pusillanimous politics or face the music.
Syed Rifaquat Ali is Sydney-based journalist
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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