SC To Hear 60 Pleas on Citizenship Law Today

Around 60 petitions challenging the Centre's newCitizenship law, which has created a storm since being passed last week will betaken up by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Among those who filed the petitionsare senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, the Indian Union Muslim League andAsom Gana Parishad, an ally of the ruling BJP in Assam.

Athree-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, Justice SA Bobde, willhear the petitions. The other judges in the bench are Justices BR Gavai andSurya Kant.

The Citizenship Amendment Act is meant to expeditecitizenship for non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who movedto India till 2014 after facing religious persecution in their home countries.

The petitioners have contended that religion cannotbe the basis for grant of citizenship. The new law, they have also said, isagainst the basic structure of the Constitution as admitting illegal migrantsas citizens  on the basis of religion violates the fundamental rights tolife and equality.

The law, they have also contended, affects thefundamental principle of secularism of the nation. The government, they said,has a duty to provide equal treatment to the members of all faiths.

Since President Ram Nath Kovind signed off on thelaw last Wednesday, there have been widespread protests, especially in thenortheast, Bengal and Delhi. In Assam, five people have died in the violencethat has taken place against the CAA.

In Delhi, a protest march by the Jamia students hadgone out of hand and ended in violence on Sunday. Students pelted stones at thepolice when they tried to stop the march, buses and two-wheelers were burntdown in the streets. The subsequent police action at the university – bargingin without permission and detaining students — had triggered protests incampuses across the country.

The student protests continued today and Delhiwitnessed a second bout of violence. At northeast Delhi's Seelampur, aprotesting mob clashed with the police. A peaceful protest was also held at theJamia Millia Islamia by the students.

Meanwhile,the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has observed three days Mass Satyagraha inGuwahati against the Citizenship Amendment Act which started on December 16 andwill end today.