[Marxistindia] Scrap rules and amend 2003 Citizenship Amendment Act

[news from the cpi(m)]

March 13, 2020
 
Press Statement
 
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the
following statement:
 
Scrap Rules and Amend the 2003 Citizenship Amendment Act
 
The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, in his reply to the discussion on the
ghastly communal violence that rocked Delhi recently thundered that "no one
needs to fear about NPR; no one will be marked doubtful in the updating
process".
 
If, indeed, this BJP government is honest about this remark, then they need
to amend the 2003 Rules under the Amendment to the Citizenship Act.  Rules
numbers -  3, 4, 5, 5 (a), (b), 6 (a), (b), (c) - deal exclusively with the
process of preparation of the NPR and the identification of individuals
whose citizenship is doubtful and prescribe the further process of enquiry
and documentation required for people thus marked as doubtful.  
 
If the Home Minister's assurance to the Parliament is to be believed, then
this government should immediately scrap these Rules.  In which case, the
relevant clauses in the 2003 Amendment to the Citizenship Act that provide a
legal status for the NRC would be rendered infructuous and, hence, the law
should also be amended to scrap the NRC.
 
A majority of the State governments, representing large populations, have
expressed their opposition to the NRC. Respecting this as well, the 2003
amendment should be suitably amended to scrap the NRC. 
 
The PB of the CPI(M) categorically asserts that mere assertions in the
Parliament do not evince confidence amongst the people that the NPR will not
be used on a later date to facilitate the NRC. The relevant rules must be
scrapped and the 2003 Act amended.
 
 
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