NA condemns India’s new ‘discriminatory’ law

Passes unanimous resolution against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019

ISLAMABAD: The lower house of the parliament on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution, condemning India's Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and described it as discriminatory.

Indian parliament on Dec 4 passed the controversial legislation allowing fast-track citizenship to non-Muslims from neighbouring Muslim countries, in the latest push by far right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government to redefine India as a Hindu state.

It is the first time that India has set religious criteria for citizenship. India is officially a secular state.

Under this law, Hindus and followers of other religions will be given preference in naturalization process over Muslims, the largest minority of India.

On Monday, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood moved in the National Assembly the resolution that described the new Indian law as based on falsehood, and distortion of facts relating to treatment of minorities in neighbouring countries.

It said the amendment is against international norms of equality and non-discrimination and International Human Rights Law as it seeks to set up a faith-based criterion for a group of citizenship.

“This amendment is also against bilateral agreements and understandings between India and Pakistan particularly those on security and rights of minorities in the respective countries.”

It said status of minorities in India is deplorable and pointed to instances of persecution of minorities including mob lynching, particularly targeting Muslims and low caste Dalits by cow-vigilantes belonging to extremist Hindu organizations.

It underlined that the new act ostensibly tries to give the impression that it aims to provide protection to minorities from neighbouring countries while ignoring the fact that the rights of minorities in India continue to be violated.

“Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) is the only Muslim majority area in India where eight million innocent Kashmiris are collectively incarcerated and penalized by 900,000 Indian occupation forces and face the danger of forced demographic change.”  The resolution reaffirmed s solidarity with people of the IOK in their just struggle for their rights to self-determination.

The resolution listed the Indian government’s latest anti-Muslim steps and asserted that the extremist and fascist measures of BJP government in pursuit of Hindutva ideology are fast leading India into a Hindu Rashtra, where the minorities, particularly Muslims are facing the brunt of the persecution.

It noted with grave concern the India's excessive use of force and violent response against protesters, in particular, religious minorities and Muslim students in various parts of India.

“We condemned the controversial amendment to India's citizenship law in the strongest terms which is not only regressive and discriminatory but also interference in the affairs of neighbouring countries.”

The resolution also rejected India's patently false insinuation that minorities in Pakistan are not protected and reiterated that all minorities are equal citizens of Pakistan under its Constitution and enjoy equal protection of laws and continue to contribute actively to collective national development.

“All institutions in Pakistan including the parliament continue to mainstream our minorities and to promote their welfare,” it said.

The resolution called upon the international community including the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, and other relevant human rights organizations to urge India to revoke this discriminatory act and to protect and safeguard the rights of its minorities including Muslims.

(With additional input from APP.)