Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind to challenge Citizenship Bill in SC

Asserting that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is against the basic structure of the Constitution, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Wednesday said it will challenge the legislation in the Supreme Court.

Its reaction came minutes after the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday.

Terming the passing of the Bill in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha a "tragedy", Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani said the Bill is against the basic structure of the Indian Constitution and the Jamiat will challenge it in the apex court.

Madani said the Jamiat will challenge it in the court because the legislature has not done its job honestly.

"Now the judiciary can make a better decision on it. Advocates have been consulted in this regard and a petition is being drafted," he said in a statement.

Madani also said that after the Lok Sabha passed the Bill, Jamiat tried its level-best that the legislation does not pass in Rajya Sabha by contacting the members of various parties to convince them about the harmful impact of this Bill.

"Sadly some of the so-called secular parties showed their irresponsible behaviour, and the Bill has been passed in Rajya Sabha," he said.

Madani also said that the Bill violates Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which explicitly states that no citizen in the country will be discriminated on the basis of religion, and every citizen will be treated equally.

The Bill could also pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the country, he said.

Madani said that the effects of this Bill may not be visible now, but when the NRC is conducted all over the country, the legislation will hurt millions of Muslims badly.

"This is not a Hindu-Muslim matter at all, it is a matter of fundamental rights of human being and citizens," he asserted.