But even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Congress and ‘urban naxalites’ of the violence over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated that the government is firm “like a rock” and there is “not even a little” chance of a rethink on the CAA. He however, insists that the law would not harm the Muslims and accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of fear-mongering and misleading the community to incite violence.
Meanwhile, hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the CAA, the Supreme Court Wednesday declined to stay the contentious law but told the government to respond to petitions that have attacked the amended Citizenship Act on grounds that it violates the Constitution.
Nearly 60 petitions have piled up at the Supreme Court after Parliament passed made changes to the law to provide for a special dispensation to grant citizenship to religious minorities from three Islamic countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The law allows undocumented migrants from six communities - Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, and Jains - to stay in India and get citizenship if they claim religious persecution. This special provision is valid for people who entered the country before December 31, 2014.
CLARIFICATIONS BY HOME MINISTRY
In an outreach effort to ally fears and misconceptions about the amended Citizenship Act, the Home Ministry Tuesday issued clarifications that the Act does not affect any Indian citizen, including Muslims, and they enjoy fundamental rights conferred on them by the Constitution.
This story is from the December 23,2019 edition of News behind the News.
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This story is from the December 23,2019 edition of News behind the News.
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TROUBLED TIME FOR MODI
The students’ unrest, however, which is spreading like wildfire across the nation, and the protests by large sections of people against the citizenship law, have belied the BJP’s hopes of having a free run in the foreseeable future in presiding over the country’s destiny from panchayats to parliament, as Union home minister Amit Shah once said.
MUST-WIN FOR BJP IN DELHI POLLS
Having failed to perform satisfactorily in the Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections, the BJP realizes that its rank and file will be hugely demoralized if it does not fare well in the forthcoming Delhi polls.
MILITARY MIGHT AT R-DAY PARADE
Anti-satellite weapon ‘Shakti’, lethal artillery gun ‘Dhanush’, and newly-inducted helicopters Apache and Chinook were among the key military assets showcased by India for the first time at the Republic Day parade on 26 January.
INDIA - PAKISTAN: DEALING WITH PAKISTAN'S AMBITIONS ON KASHMIR
Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive on Kashmir has gained some traction with the EU Parliament debating the issue along with the controversial Citizen’s (Amendment) Act (CAA).
EXPERT ANALYSES UNION BUDGET 2020-21: A MIXED BAG
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s second Budget presented three themes -- aspiring India, economic development, caring society. And it seeks to cater to the demand side of the economy by trying to put more money in the hands of individuals.
DELHI ELECTION: BJP HOPES TO GAIN FROM CAA INSTILLED POLARISATION
The anti-CAA protests took a violent turn as a 17-year-old teenager Thursday shot a Kashmiri protester near Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi.
CAA DEBATE IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: INDIA UNDER PRESSURE
Much to the relief of India, the European Parliament Wednesday decided to put off a vote on a resolution critical of India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to a session beginning on March 2. The move is being seen as linked to the upcoming India-EU Summit next month.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR: BJP IN A TIGHT CORNER
The government’s policies on Kashmir give the impression that it has bitten off more than it can chew. This is also probably true of the citizenship issue as well, but more of that later.
LAYING A ROAD MAP FOR THE FIRST CDS
Laying a road map for the first CDS, General Rawat, Gurmeet Kanwal (former director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi) suggests the first item on the agenda “should be the formulation of integrated operational plans.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR: ‘FUNDAMENTAL DISAFFECTION' HAS NOT GONE AWAY
A convoy of three dozen Union ministers descended on the newlycreated Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir last week to promote development plans of the Centre.