The IUML has approached the Supreme Court against the implementation of the citizenship law
A day after the Centre notified implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and youth body Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) today approached the Supreme Court to challenge the move.
The IUML, primarily based in Kerala, has sought a pause on the implementation of the law, calling it "unconstitutional" and "discriminatory" against the Muslim community. The DYFI, with links to the CPM, has called the law "discriminatory, manifestly arbitrary, unreasonable and irrational". Both petitioners have sought a pause on CAA's implementation. DYFI has also sought an urgent hearing on the matter.
The CAA, passed in 2019, enables non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan fleeing religious persecution to seek Indian citizenship. Persons from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from these countries, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, can seek citizenship under CAA.
The IUML was among the first to challenge the law in 2019. Its petition contends that not including Muslims in the list of those eligible for citizenship violates the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.
Earlier, IUML had sought a pause on the implementation of the Act, but the Centre had then told the court that the law will not come into force because the rules had not been notified yet.
The Centre's announcement last evening prompted celebrations, as well as protests, in several parts of the country. Members of the Matua community in Bengal and Sindhi refugees living in Bhopal held celebrations after the announcement. In some other areas, however, the public mood was different. Protests erupted in Assam, which has been protesting against the new citizenship rules on the ground that it will lead to large-scale migration into the border state. In other areas of the country, protesters alleged that the law is discriminatory against the Muslim community.
The Opposition has targeted the ruling BJP over the timing of the Act's implementation: weeks before the Lok Sabha polls.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the BJP aims to polarise voters in Assam and West Bengal.
"It took them 4 years and 3 months to bring this rule. The Bill was passed in December 2019. The law should have been formed within 3-6 months. Modi Government sought nine extensions from the Supreme Court and took 4 years and 3 months before notifying the rules last night," Mr Ramesh said in a post on X.
"These are just for polarisation - to influence the elections in Bengal and Assam. If they were doing it honestly, why did they not bring it in 2020? They are bringing it now, one month before the elections. This is the strategy for social polarisation," he added.