Prominent Muslim groups call for revocation of CAA

Prominent Muslim organisations on Friday demanded the revocation of the CAA, a judicial inquiry into the violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University and compensation for those killed and injured in "police firing" during protests against the controversial citizenship law.

The organizations, after a meeting, also expressed concern over the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Registration (NPR), asserting that either NPR should either be withdrawn or its additional clauses removed.

The meeting of Muslim organisations, held under the chairmanship of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani, was attended by Darul Uloom Deoband vice-chancellor, representatives of Jamaat Islami Hind, Markazi Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadees, All India Milli Council, All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, and prominent leaders from other parts of the country.

The meeting took stock of the situation prevailing in the country and deliberated upon the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), while reviewing the "ongoing movement and struggle" against the controversial law in detail, a statement issued by the Jamiat said.

Resolutions were also passed at the meeting, including against the CAA, NPR and proposed NRC.

"The amended citizenship law is not only anti-Constitutional but it also violates the pluralistic character of the country. This law discriminates against people on the basis of their religion and directly contradicts fundamental rights enshrined in the Articles, 14, 15 and 21 in the Constitution," a resolution said.

The CAA also contradicts the Preamble of the Constitution of India, it said.

The organizations said the NRC has created turmoil in Assam and citizens were excluded from the NRC simply because there were errors in their name's spelling and documents.

The NPR that has been brought in by the government is actually the first step towards the NRC exercise, and that the new NPR demands more details as compared with the old NPR of 2010, it claimed.

The religious discrimination clause from the CAA should be removed and the NPR should either be withdrawn or its additional clauses removed, the statement said.

The organizations also said the new citizenship law will also affect India's friendly relations with neighbouring countries, especially Bangladesh.

The organizations also extended moral support to the protest launched by students of Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and other youths against these laws.

They condemned in strongest possible terms the police action on the students of various universities.

They demanded initiation of a judicial inquiry into the violence in JNU and the strict action against those police personnel found guilty in action against protests.

The attack on JNU students by "masked goons" is a highly condemnable act, the statement said.

The Muslim organizations also condemned police brutalities and excesses on the peaceful demonstrations in the BJP-ruled states.

The organisations also called upon the state governments to pay appropriate compensation to those who were killed and injured in police firing.

Maulana Madani, Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, Maulana Muhammad Wali Rahmani, Professor Akhtar al-Wase, Dr Qasim Rasool Elyas and Naved Hamid among other prominent Muslim scholars and clerics attended the meeting.