Guwahati: Appreciating the mainstream Assamese society for taking rational views on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 despite provocative statements from some so-called intellectuals, journalists, and political analysts, the Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA) urges both the governments in New Delhi and Dispur to convince the people of Assam that the CAA deadline of December 31, 2014, will not be extended anymore and the central government will pursue with the neighbouring countries (precisely Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan), which regularly indulge in religious persecution against minorities like Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians.
It may be mentioned that soon after the notification of CAA, many individuals and organizations in Assam pronounced ‘revolutionary statements’ against the CAA rules and urged the people to come to the streets demanding its repeal. Some have already approached the apex court of Bharat to nullify the CAA claiming that it’s unconstitutional.
The forum of nationalist citizens opines that the verdict of the Supreme Court will be obeyed, but the PPFA raises a pertinent question- Can a court in India repeal an act, which was passed by both houses of Parliament and subsequently signed by the President, the head of state of the Republic of India?
Some may refer to the case of Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act 1983, which was struck down by the apex court in 2005, and hence the CAA may also be repealed by the same court. But the major difference between the IMDT Act and CAA remains the exclusiveness of the former one to Assam.
The IMDT, enacted by the then Indira Gandhi government, was applicable to Assam only, whereas other States continued to follow the Foreigners Act 1946 to define an illegal immigrant in India. Moreover, under the IMDT, it was the responsibility of an accuser/authority to prove an individual as an illegal foreigner, whereas in the Foreigners Act, the accused has to prove his identity as an Indian.
Moreover, the IMDT excluded the migrants who entered India before 21 March 1971 (this particular cut off year has now been challenged in the SC).
The PPFA, which sent a memorandum to Assam Governor supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 (and faced uncivilized criticism from some anti-national elements), maintains that the government publicity machineries should divulge all the sensitive facts to the people relating to the CAA rules respecting their anxieties.
Moreover, the forum appeals to the group of Guwahati-based editor-journalists, which out rightly rejected the CAB and even organized a meeting with the Governor five years back, to clarify their stand if they have accepted the CAA or bowed down to the authority and public sentiments emerged on social media in the last few days.
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