[Marxistindia] On BJP false campaign

[news from the cpi(m)]

December 18, 2019
 
Press Statement
 
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the
following statement:
 
BJP False Campaign Exposed
 
The BJP, in order to defend the indefensible Citizenship Amendment Act
(CAA), is accusing the CPI(M) and the Communists, in general, of doublespeak
on the question of giving citizenship to Bengali refugees from East Pakistan
and later Bangladesh. In this connection, they are citing the letter written
by Prakash Karat, then General Secretary of the Party, on May 22, 2012 to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding that Bengali refugees be given
citizenship by amending the Citizenship Act.  
 
The BJP, through its spokespersons and in the social media, are claiming
that the CPI(M) which earlier advocated provision of citizenship to Bengali
minority refugees from Bangladesh are now opposing the CAA which provides
for citizenship to the very same Bengali refugees.
 
The BJP is twisting the facts to make this false allegation:
 
Firstly, the CPI(M) had always wanted Bengali minority refugees from
erstwhile East Pakistan and later Bangladesh to be given citizenship. But
the CAA does so on the basis of religious identity and by excluding Muslim
migrants.  At no time had the CPI(M) demanded exclusion of Muslim migrants
from being considered for citizenship.  That is why the Party has strongly
opposed the CAA.
 
Secondly, the CPI(M) had adopted a resolution, `For Rights of Bengali
Refugees' at the 20th Congress of the Party in April 2012 in which the Party
had spelt out its stand on the matter.  In this resolution, it was made
clear  that the Assam Accord should be protected when giving citizenship to
refugees from Bangladesh is considered.  This means that the March 1971
cutoff date as per the Assam Accord should not be disturbed.  The CAA
violates this cutoff limit for Assam.  That is another reason why the CPI(M)
opposed the CAB in Parliament.  
 
The CPI(M) MPs in Parliament had moved three amendments to the CAB.  Two
amendments were meant to remove the religious classification of minorities
and to see that migrants from all neighbouring countries, irrespective of
their religion, could be considered for citizenship.  This was to cover, for
instance, the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamilnadu.  The third
amendment was to exempt Assam and other north-eastern states from the
purview of the Bill.
 
 
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