Supreme Court to Review CAA Amid Controversy

Defense News ,India :- The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, will listen to 237 petitions today challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This law has caused a lot of debate, especially with the Lok Sabha election just around the corner.

Among those filing petitions are the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). They believe the CAA is unfair, especially towards Muslims.

The day after the government announced the CAA rules, these organizations went to the Supreme Court, asking to stop the law from being put into action. They argue that the CAA discriminates against Muslims.

Back in 2019, when the Citizenship Amendment Bill passed in Parliament, many people protested against it. But the court didn't stop it because the rules hadn't been made yet. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal explained to the court that they couldn't pause it back then because the rules weren't there. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta added that the timing of the rules' announcement didn't matter.

The CAA allows non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, who faced religious persecution, to apply for Indian citizenship. Those who belong to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities from these countries and entered India before December 31, 2014, can seek citizenship under this law.

Opposition parties criticize the government, saying it's implementing the law now, just before the election, to create division, especially in West Bengal and Assam. Jairam Ramesh, a party leader, expressed his concerns about this timing.

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of Bengal and leader of the Trinamool Congress, doubts the legality of the CAA. She thinks there's a plan to take away citizenship rights. She warned people that applying for citizenship under this law could lead them to lose their rights and end up in detention camps.

However, the government disagrees with these allegations. Home Minister Amit Shah defends the CAA, saying it's not against the Constitution. He accused the Opposition of spreading lies for political gains. Shah clarified that the BJP promised to bring the CAA in their 2019 manifesto, and it passed in Parliament in 2019. The delay in implementation was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shah assured the minorities that they don't need to worry because the CAA doesn't take away anyone's rights.