Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Passage of Citizenship Amendment Bill Amid Fierce Protests In North East India

Passage of Citizenship Amendment Bill Amid Fierce Protests In North East India

Amid fierce protests Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) was passed by Lower House (Lok Sabha) and this showed how certain was the quantum of grouse. Discriminatory and discomfort was the in thing, the plea to shelve CAB was the reigning theme. From speeches to spartan lifestyle all was evident as Lok Sabha was debating CAB knowing fully well the Treasury Benches were not an army of truncated glee. It was not shelved and not scaled down, the volley of protests did not won the crown.

Critics called it a major blow to India's spirit of pluralism, it was one Bill that fell short of far sighted vision. Disenchantment was all around as far as Opposition went, the Bill had tidings that those who would be persecuted were not land owners and one who were essentially paying monthly rent. Backers of the Bill called its passage in Lower House as masterpiece something that won't keep followers of one religion and their movement freeze. Govt managers vouched that by its passage it did not by any bit violated Article 14, 21 and 25 of constitution and the Bill was designed to give citizenship to religiously persecuted non muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh without any hesitation.

Protests broke out in the North East part of India with picketing of roads and burning of tyres as this Bill was not meant to douse the raging discrimination and fires. Against 80, 311 votes fell for its passage, as innumerable TV Honchos in the dead of night could be seen taking bytes from politicos with their modern gadgets. Apprehensions are that this CAB would open floodgates for NRC (National Register of Citizens) to be applied across country, something that would halt the movement of trains that essentially carry a car called pantry. NRC is out and out discriminatory and it creates divisions across society and this persuasive-cum-pervasive tactics should not be applied across India as the nation is not ready for an experiment that excludes the rights of men, women and resources like ria.

There are more urgent tasks before the govt, as the recent factory fire in the heart of Delhi showed the callousness of the authorities and this indifferent nature inviting their share of critics. Audit on immediate basis needs to be carried out across residential colonies where factories are functioning and if such is the case it needs to be shut down with effective baton and battery.

As for CAB debate in Upper House (Rajya Sabha) six hours have been allotted with enough battle on hand for Opposition to secure in their PC enough RAM. Its critics would say this Bill undermines basic democratic tenet of India as a country and paves way for discrimination with no surprise and hesitation.

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