OIC voice concern over Citizenship Act, says closely following developments - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

OIC voice concern over Citizenship Act, says closely following developments.

The OIC is a 57-member grouping of Muslim majority nations, including Pakistan. The body has usually been supportive of Pakistan and often sided with Islamabad in its disputes with India

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday said it was "closely" following the recent developments "affecting" Muslims in India as it voiced concern over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the verdict in the Ayodhya case.

The OIC is a 57-member grouping of Muslim majority nations, including Pakistan. The body has usually been supportive of Pakistan and often sided with Islamabad in its disputes with India.
"The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has been closely following recent developments affecting Muslim minority in India,” the OIC said in a brief statement.
The body "expresses its concern over the recent developments pertaining to both the issue of citizenship rights and the Babri Masjid case," the statement said.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by the Parliament and signed into law by the President this month.
According to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution there will get Indian citizenship.
The OIC urged the Indian government to ensure the safety of the Muslim minority and the protection of their religious sites.
It "reaffirms the crucial importance of upholding the principles and obligations enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and relevant international covenants that guarantee the rights of minorities without any discrimination," the statement said.
It also cautioned that "any action, contrary to these principles and obligations, may lead to further tensions and may have serious implications on peace and security across the region." (Source: The Business Standard)


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OIC voice concern over Citizenship Act, says closely following developments.

States have no powers to refuse implementation of Citizenship Act and NPR: Official - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

States have no powers to refuse implementation of Citizenship Act and NPR: Official.

The statement came after Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announced that the CAA was “unconstitutional” and has no place in their respective States.

State governments have no powers to reject the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as the legislation was enacted under the Union List of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution and the National Population Register which is to be carried out next year, a top official said on Friday.
The statement came after Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announced that the CAA was “unconstitutional” and has no place in their respective States.
“The States have no powers to deny implementation of a Central law which is in the Union List,” the Home Ministry official said.
There are 97 items under the Union List of the 7th Schedule and they include Defence, External Affairs, Railways, Citizenship and Naturalisation.
Referring to the NPR, which will be carried out along with the census exercise next year, the official said no State can refuse to carry out the process as it will be done as per the Citizenship Act.
The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local (village/sub-town), sub-district, district, State and national level under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR.
A usual resident is defined for the purposes of the NPR as a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.
According to the amended Citizenship Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and faced religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants and given Indian citizenship.
The CAA says the refugees of the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of 11 years earlier.
The Act also proposes to give immunity to such refugees facing legal cases after being found as illegal migrants.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, “Whatever stand the Congress party has taken on Citizenship Amendment Act, we will follow that. Do we want to be a part of a process that sows seeds of divisiveness?”.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also said the Bill was a “brazen assault” on the fundamental ideas enshrined in the Constitution and the fate of the law will be decided in the Supreme Court. (Source: The Hindu)


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States have no powers to refuse implementation of Citizenship Act and NPR: Official.

The difference between Citizenship Act and NRC, explained - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

The difference between Citizenship Act and NRC, explained.

The Act has triggered violent protests across several parts of the country, with the national capital being one of the worst-hit.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) passed by both houses of Parliament in the winter session is now known as the Citizenship Act. The Act has triggered violent protests across several parts of the country, with the national capital being one of the worst-hit after protestors set ablaze four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with the cops near Jamia Millia Islamia on Sunday.
The police detained around 50 Jamia students alleging they were involved in the violence which left nearly 60 injured. While the students were released early today after the Varsity union denied their involvement, tension prevailed in the national capital.

Meanwhile, protests continued in the northeast region as well with Assamese artistes coming together to take a stand against the Citizenship Act.
What is the Citizenship Act?
The Act seeks to provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
A person belonging to any of these faiths from the three nations can apply for Indian citizenship after six years of residence in the country, without having to prove his/her birth.
It covers people who were “forced or compelled to seek shelter in India due to persecution on the ground of religion..”. The Act aims to protect these people from proceedings against them in the claim of illegal migration.
People who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, are eligible of citizenship, as per the proposed changes while the previous law had made it mandatory for people to have resided for a minimum of 11 years in the country to be eligible for citizenship.
Why is it controversial?
The primary opposition is that it makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion, which critics say violates the spirit of equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.
The Act has also faced opposition and reservation from many political outfits, including NDA alliance partners over concerns that granting citizenship to foreigners will undermine the ethnic communities living in regions.
Minority outfits have lashed out against it for leaving out Muslims and also on the ground that it is at odds with the Constitution, which does not differentiate between citizens on the basis of religion.
How is it different from NRC?
The National Register of Citizens, the process of which has been recently completed in Assam, looks to remove illegal immigrants from India.
According to NRC, a person, to be eligible to be a citizen, would have to prove that either they or their ancestors were in India on or before March 24, 1971, the eve of the Bangladesh War. The war of liberation had begun in Bangladesh the next day, which sent thousands of refugees to India.
The Centre would be extending the NRC process to the rest of India. The NRC has nothing to do with religion, whereas, the Citizenship Act is based on some faiths.
Why Assam is seeing massive protests?
Some groups in the state feel that Act could nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which had set March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal refugees.
While the NRC was aimed at deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of their religions, the Citizenship Act is likely to benefit non-Muslim migrants, according to some activists.
In Assam, the protesters were seen targeting lawmakers wherever they find them. Last week, anti-Bill protesters showed black flags to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Guwahati and Kaliabor in Central Assam as his convoy passed through.
In Assam’s Golaghat district, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president and state Agriculture Minister Atul Bora got stranded as protesters gheraoed his private residence there. Several other leaders including ministers, MPs and MLAs had to face the wrath of angry protesters.
Will the Citizenship Act impact NRC?
The BJP has claimed that the Act will assist those left out of the final NRC. However, experts say that Gorkhas, Scheduled Tribes, Bhojpuri, Koch Rajbongshi, Tea Tribes cannot claim to have migrated from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. (Source: cnbctv18.com)


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The difference between Citizenship Act and NRC, explained.