Most important characteristic of India is its plurality and the Constitution gives equal rights to everyone, irrespective of religion, MJ Akbar mentioned
The controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the situation of Muslims in India were clarified and discussed in detail by Parliamentarians from India and Europe on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council in the United Nations office in Geneva.
Veteran Journalist and Member of Indian Parliament Akbar mentioned that the most important characteristic of India is its plurality and the Constitution gives equal rights to everyone, irrespective of religion. He mentioned that Muslims are as much part of India as any other citizen from any other religion.
1. MJ Akbar takes a dig at Shashi Tharoor
)
MJ Akbar took a dig at Shashi Tharoor while saying ‘sometimes when you are in opposition you tend make rhetorical points and Tharoor is far away from reality’. He concluded his words quoting from Mahatma Gandhi, “Hindus and Muslims are one. God created them and no one can separate them”.
Fulvio Martusciello, Member of European Parliament, clarified that with this act, several rights including electoral and educational, will be given to the innocent people who have been facing religious persecution in their native country.
2. Secular dempcracy, equal citizenship for all
)
Ahmed Ilyasi, the Chief Imam of India, who is the first Indian Muslim to come in support of CAA, drew the attention of the Muslim community in India stating that “India has the second-largest number of Muslims in the world and providing equal citizenship for everyone, India is a secular democracy. He lashed out at Pakistan stating that it has nothing to do with the internal matter of India and Muslims in India are safer than they can be anywhere else in the world. He explained that if any Muslim wants, he or she can still apply for citizenship satisfying the provisions of the Citizenship Act of 1955.
Atika Farooqui, a journalist covering minority issues in India stated that CAA has no provision whatsoever to take the citizenship of current citizens of India by any means and said that “We, Indians, are just curious and hardworking people with Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Hindu sounding names”.
3. EU needs to address disinformation campaign
)
Paulo Casaca, Executive Director, South Asia Democratic Forum and Former Member of European Parliament focused on the role of Europe in this disinformation campaign stating that the EU institutions are feeding the hatred and chaos. He warned the EU to change its attitude first towards the refugees at its borders before interfering in India. He added that the CAA provides a special fast track procedure to certain groups from certain neighbouring countries.
Brian Toll, an expert on South Asia from European Commission summarised Indian Constitution provides equal opportunity to every citizen irrespective of their religion, creed or caste. India is the only country in the entire world that has accepted people from all cultures, religions, etc with open arms and embraced their ethos in its plurality.
