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Governance

Discussion on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),

National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Future of India

The decision to expand national register of citizens new amendment could not be answered as it was
from Assam to other parts of the country created a against the constitutionally safeguarded equality
number of concerns in the minds of many Indians as before law, religious freedom of individuals, and
they fear the unavailability of all required information secularism in the country.
and related documents. The Citizenship Amendment
Act (CAA) passed in the Parliament in December Dr. J. Prabhash pointed out that the sanctity of
2019 created more worries and stiff oppositions Indian constitution as a sovereign socialist secular
across the country as some of its provisions conflicted democratic republic is lost through the new CAA. The
with the articles on secularism and equality before constitution is amended for the first time to exclude
law guaranteed by the constitution. or favour some groups based on their religion. He
clearly established the links between NRC and
A panel discussion on “Citizenship Amendment Act National population Register (NPR) with evidences.
(CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and He showed the documents in the Census of India
Future of India” was organised at Vakkom Moulavi website regarding the questions in NPR related
Foundation Trust on January 5, 2020 in the light of to citizenship. The citizens who fail to produce the
new developments.The panel consisted of Dr. N. K. recommended documents will be marked as doubtful
Jayakumar (Legal Advisor of Chief Minister of Kerala citizens. They will be excluded from NRC regardless
and former Vice Chancellor, National University of of religion. Then they have to prove their citizenship.
Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi), Dr. J. Prabhash There are chances of targeting people based on
(Former Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Kerala) religion, political belief or like.
and Dr. Anu Unni (Assistant Professor, Department
of Politics, University of Kerala). Dr. Anu Unni commented that basic concept of
citizenship is by birth. But CAA and awaiting NRC are
Dr. N. K. Jayakumar stated that India lost its related and the people who are born in India will lose
veneration as a supreme secular country in front of citizenship and non-Muslims born in neighbouring 3
the global nations due to Amendment of Citizenship countries will become Indian citizens on satisfying
Act. He added that many questions aroused by CAA conditions. The poor will mostly fail to produce
common people, academics, media persons, the documents.
religious leaders and social activists regarding the
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VMFT NEWSLETTER JANUARY-MARCH 2020