Who Denounced  India’s CAA in USA?

USA has 19,502 cities, towns and villages. Cities (Major) having population more than 100,000 are 314. Of the 314 major cities, 6 City Councils of USA passed resolutions denouncing India’s CAA, NRC, NPR. The order of distinction goes to Seattle, Albany, Saint Paul, Hamtramck, Cambridge and San Francisco. The distinguishing  characteristics of these 6 councils (i) All democrats ruled, (ii) All did it in the run up to the 2020 Presidential Election.

If you smell something, you are well within your right.

But For Those Who Care Facts

India’s CAA, NRC, NPA are the finest pieces of legislation for good national  economic management of India and to uphold humanity and dignity of the persecuted on religious basis. Here are some irrefutable facts, the world must know:

Minorities’ Religious Persecution: Does it really happen?
The reports emanating from the World and  Pakistan itself Say:

  • Pakistani Hindus lose daughters to forced Muslim marriages (Naila Inayat, Special for USA TODAY, February 15, 2017)
  • The Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill, 2015, passed by Sindh Assembly in December 2016, rejected by the Governor at the Instance of the National Govt (PPP). Anti- Forced Conversion bill rejected in Sindh Assembly in 2019.
  • Pakistan Institutionalized Discrimination and Persecution against Minority groups: EU Parliament Report, May 2019
  • In practice, non-Muslim minorities do face discrimination and persecution. (Reality Check Team, BBC News, Dec 12, 2019).

Does anyone need any more evidence of persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan? Here are some visuals of that persecution:

You wanted to meet them  in person, to personally check out, you may meet many in Refugees Camps in India. Here some visuals from those refugee camps.

There are umpteen more reports and heart- wrenching videos, which you may google please. Warning: Many, if you see, you will lose your appetite. Those are so disgusting, so inhuman, so uncivilized.

Worst Is: The Persecution is Institutional

Sample a few facts:

  • Indian marriages not being legal in countries like Pakistan, minority wives were abducted,  converted to Islam, and married off to Muslim men.
  • Every year 1000s of young vulnerable Hindu and economically downtrodden Christian girls like Suneethas, Raveenas, Reenas, Anilas, Jagjit Kaurs, Nimratas, are being abducted for ransom, raped, murdered, forcefully converted to Islam. Minority men are tortured under blasphemy.

And please recall EU Parliament Report, referred above: Pakistan Institutionalized Discrimination and Persecution against Minority groups: EU Parliament Report, May 2019.

Those who criticize India on concocted intolerance, minorities living in  fear and mistreatment of minorities should locate one such camp in the neighboring countries of India. They would utterly FAIL. That is what India and its tolerance for minorities.

Actually, diversity is celebrated there, bad press and vested interest narrative notwithstanding. India have had members of the minority communities holding top national leadership positions including Government Ministers, President and Prime Minister of India.

Those who shed crocodile tears for Muslims in India must know that, as per reports, Muslim population in India was around 24.3% when Country was divided to create Pakistan for Muslims in 1947 and quite a few Muslims chose to stay back in India. Those who chose not to go to Pakistan were about 10% of the population at that time. Thus,  14.3% moved to Pakistan (Getting Separate Nation for Muslims) and 10% stayed back. They are now more than 13% of population of India. The results of 2021 Census will throw more light.

Muslim League led the country’s partition in 1947.

And India (in Kerala) still has a political party, Indian Union Muslim League, duly recognized by the Election Commission  of India.

The Government of India has a full- fledged Ministry of Minority Affairs. Their annual budget is approved, along with others, by the Parliament of India.

The Kerala government has a department called Kerala State Development Corporation for Christian Converts from Scheduled Castes and the Recommended Communities Ltd.

That Parliament of India which is elected by double the population of the oldest democracy of the World. Where protestors can block public roads for months, attack national buildings and disrespect national flag; where opposition leaders with zero abilities heap, baselessly, personal insults on the Prime Minister of the Country.

Find me one such on this planet.

So much for intolerant India for minorities!

Here are some Statistics showing Decimation of Minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh.

PBS= Pakistan Bureau of Statistics; PEW-GRF= Pew Research Center- Global Religious Futures

Now for those who criticize and oppose CAA in India or elsewhere.

Why CAA?

It is for human dignity and religious freedom of those persecuted on religious basis. It is to help them follow their faith without fear and without being called KAAFIR;  Without the fear of their young daughters being stolen.

Is it too much to ask in a civilized world?

What is CAA?

A 3- page, 2- substantive clause Amendment to the Citizenship Act of 1955. The 3 pages look like as follows. I have no intention to give you an eye test here. You may please visit https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/214646.pdf and read it for yourself.

The two substantive amended clauses are as follows:

Was Citizenship Act of 1955 amended for the first time in 2019?

It has been amended multiple times. You may read it as amended time to time at https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/4210/1/Citizenship_Act_1955.pdf

In sum,

  • CAA, 2019 provides opportunity of citizenship of India to members of the  minority community, persecuted for religious reasons, of three bordering Islamic Countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who have been refugees in India, subject to three conditions:
  • Exemption under Passport Act of 1920.
  • Exemption under Foreigners Act of 1946.
  • Be in India for minimum of 5 years, on or before 12/31/2014 (which effectively means minimum 10 years as of 2019; they came to India when the other party (now opposing) was in rule, 2004-2014).

Too Little, Too Late

In the opinion of sane voices: it is too little, too late.

An opportunity for those who have been persecuted and have already fled for years (as of 2014, 5 years; as of 2019, 10 years) from Islamic (religion- based) bordering countries and lived in India.

And it is not just for Hindus. It includes all other minorities, namely, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees, and Christians.

4+ filters for ‘historically persecuted groups’. Ha ha ha!

Objection and Protests About:

The objection and protests are essentially around: Muslims not included, from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan!

Let’s apply a bit of common sense to the objection.

Is it tenable; is it logical? You want Religious Majority Community/ Ruling Religious Community of those countries also included, because they may also be persecuted for religious reasons.

Let’s accept they may be persecuted there; for sure, but not for religious reasons. And if they are persecuted for religious reasons, being in majority they should do mends of that religion there.

If they are persecuted for other than religious reasons like freedom of speech and expression in their home country, they can apply for asylum/ citizenship under the relevant laws of India, as they have been doing for years all over the world, including India, UK, France, and others.

What was the Process adopted to pass CAA?

Perfectly democratic.

Passed by members of the Parliament of India (democratically elected by 600 million).

Vote Tally:

Lok Sabha: 311 Yes; 80 No

Rajya Sabha: 125 Yes; 105 No

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi did it.

Bhartiya Janta Party did it.

Hope you see the misinformation and lies being pedaled by vested interests, within and outside India.

It may be interesting to visit the website of Indian American Muslim Council, a USA based organization. (www.iamc.org)

CAA Implemented

CAA has been Implemented in India with effect from January 10, 2020. Thanks to the humane and determined Parliament of India.

BTW: Is it something of its kind done for the first time on this planet?

Certainly not.

If anyone wants to know, please read Lautenberg Amendment of 1990, in USA.

Incidentally, this amendment is being renewed in USA every year, ever since 1990.

It is readily available at  https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-7-part-l-chapter-2

About NPR and NRC

NPR and NRC are the two other initiatives of the Government of India which have been utterly mis-utilized by vested interests for fear mongering within and outside India.

NPR= National Population Register

NRC= National Register of Citizens

NPR counts (Resident) Population.

NRC counts Citizens.

Let’s ask  two question to all those opponents:

Is there any well- managed city, town, county, or municipality anywhere in the world that does not have a count of its residents. It is indeed necessary for planning public services.

Is there any country in this world which does not have a count of its citizens? BTW: The count of Residents and Non- residents, for Income tax purposes, have been in vogue  in India since 1956, under the Income Tax Act, 1956. And in USA, possibly from 1913.

Elections Come and go. History Sticks!

The authors thankfully acknowledges the contributions of visuals.

DISCLAIMER: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The author carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing of images utilized within the text.