The Supreme Court has taken a significant step in response to a petition challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules of 2024. These rules, designed to facilitate the granting of Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, have come under scrutiny for their potential impact on Assam's demographic landscape.
The SC bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala, has requested responses from both the Centre and the Assam government regarding the petition filed by renowned scholar, writer, literary critic, and social activist from Assam Hiren Gohain.
Gohain's plea argues that the CAA Rules of 2024 are unconstitutional, discriminatory, and arbitrary, posing a threat to the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
The petitioner highlights the alarming demographic changes in Assam due to an influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh, stressing that the issue transcends communal divides and is fundamentally about the rights of indigenous Assamese people. The plea underscores the urgency of addressing the unchecked surge of migrants, emphasizing the need to protect the cultural and demographic integrity of Assam.
Despite declining to halt the enforcement of the CAA Rules, the court has directed the Centre to address applications seeking a suspension of their implementation until the petitions challenging the validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 are adjudicated upon. This move indicates the court's recognition of the gravity of the situation and the need for a thorough examination of the legal and constitutional implications of the CAA.
The contentious nature of the CAA, which has sparked widespread protests across the country, continues to divide public opinion. With the Supreme Court now involved, the legal battle over the citizenship rules is set to intensify, as the nation grapples with questions of identity, citizenship, and constitutional rights.
