By: Dr. Mohammad Aleem, Editor-ICN Group
NEW DELHI: Since the passage of the contentious CItizen Act and fear of the NRC that it will be implemented in the entire country soon, it has hit hard to the minds and hearts and consciousness of the largest minority group of the country, the Muslims. Suddenly, they have started feeling doubtful about their rightful national existence and identity.
Most of them feel that it is utterly discriminatory because only the Muslims have been asked to prove their Indian citizenship. It will be applied on all Muslims who have come after 1948 in India.
The government says that the original Muslims have nothing to fear about it. It will be applied only on immigrants. But the government is unable to say that what will be the way to decide about one’s citizenship. It means that entire Muslim community will have to go through this humiliating process of showing their valid documents. If more than 99% Muslims are original habitants of India, then, why should they pass this humiliating process? If the government had not made it conditional with the Muslims alone, then, it would not have created such mass unrest.
Fierce protest started among the Muslims first from Jamia Millia Islamia. It started as the student agitation, but, later on, turned into a mass protest. And now, it has spread in the whole country.
In the unscrupulous way, the newly passed CAA has been seeing resistance in the country, I think, the people of India are living in illusion about its real impact. It will surely divide the country in many religious groups and identities and it will impact negatively and adversely to the future of India.
We can understand it by the creation of Pakistan on the basis of the Hindu-Muslim religious identities.
Our ruling class should clearly understand that religion never helps in making a country strong and vibrant, but its culture and civilization and the diverse ways of life surely. We will have to endeavour hard to make our minority community fully assured that it is fully protected. Their dignity will be preserved.
This act should be withdrawn immediately and any decision on the religious lines should not be taken at all.
No doubt, we will have to battle hard to preserve its pluralistic Identity. We can’t allow India to become Pakistan by the Hindu bigots.
