My forefather's names feature in list of freedom fighters, Amit Shah can't claim this, says Margaret Alva

Speaking about her reservations about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva on Saturday questioned the prevailing judicial system in India.

While speaking at the 'Of the People, By the People: The Indian Constitution' session at Jaipur Literature Festival, she said she had expected the court to be more active and more vocal on CAA issue but unfortunately, the judiciary in the country had become weak.

"Constitution gives all of us rights and our judicial system, especially courts are supposed to protect the constitution and as well as interpret it. But unfortunately, even courts nowadays are controlled by the government".

Speaking about the CAA, Alva said "The bill is unconstitutional. It divides people on basis of identity and religion."

"After spending 70 years in India, I will not show my papers to anyone. When they ask me to show my papers, I will tell them to go check the records of Yerwada jail and Arthur Road jail, which has names of my forefathers in the list of freedom fighters. And I am sure Shah has no such records, neither can he claim this", she added.

In the session, a former election commissioner, who was one of the panellists said that the election card should be the only authentic identity card accepted in the country. Commenting on this, Alva said, "The present government has discarded the validation of election cards. It's strange that till now the people who voted in the elections, were they not Indians"?