People will have no choice but to oppose CAA rules, says Owaisi

Unease in Hyderabad over CAA rules targeting Muslims, sparking protests and concerns over citizenship based on religion.

The announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the subsequent issue of gazette notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Rule, 2024 on Monday evening triggered unease in the city, that saw a wave of protests when the rules were first framed. 

“Give asylum to anyone who is persecuted but citizenship must not be based on religion or nationality. The government should explain why it kept these rules pending for five years and why it’s implementing it now. Along with NPR-NRC, CAA is meant to only target Muslims, it serves no other purpose,” wrote Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi on a social media platform. 

“Indians who came out on the streets to oppose CAA NPR-NRC will have no choice but to oppose it again,” wrote Mr Owaisi. 

The application for naturalisation under the new rules includes the sentence: “Please specify which of the minority community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, you belong to, namely, Hindu, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians.” Activists say linking naturalisation to religion goes against the secular Constitution of the country. 

“Is the CAA a Ramzan gift for Indian Muslims?” Asked social activist S.Q. Masood when asked about the likely impact of the notification of CAA rules. “The CAA provides citizenship to six minority groups fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. However, excluding Muslims from these countries raises concerns, as granting citizenship based on religion is unconstitutional and does not directly affect Indian Muslims. When viewed in conjunction with the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Muslims who fail to prove their nationality may not benefit from the CAA, while other religious minorities could be covered. This creates fear among poor and illiterate Indian Muslims,” said Mr. Masood.