‘CAB worse than annexation of occupied Kashmir’

PTI MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar termed the step as 'foolhardy activity' spearheaded byBJP-led government

MULTAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Dr Ramesh Kumar has said the Hindu fraternity has overwhelmingly condemned India's Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2019 which seeks to give Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet region.

Kumar termed the step as 'foolhardy activity' spearheaded by BJP-led government. “Current riots in India have caused deaths and injuries and this is the result of anti-minority policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government busy promoting Hindutva across the region,” he condemned.

Dr Kumar maintained that CAB should be withdrawn if India wants to remain united peacefully. "India claims to be a secular country but discriminates against 22 hundred million Muslims,” he said.

He added that in Pakistan, Hindus are enjoying complete freedom, although it is a Muslim country.

Pakistani Hindus reject India’s offer for citizenship

A renowned social activist from minority wing Pandit Raj Kapoor said India is a secular state which cannot treat Muslims as second-class citizens. He stated every religion gives a lesson of humanity and is against persecution.

“CAB is a discriminatory legislation and quite contradictory to the country's secular laws,” he said.

Kapoor also asked Modi government to stop oppressing Kashmiris by lifting long-held curfew and nullify the legislation pertaining to article 370 which is being condemned by all.

Noted businessman and elder brother of Dr Ramesh Kumar, Dr Shah Dev also widely condemned CAB by saying that no religion begets discrimination for any other religion. "CAB is in clear violation of both the constitution of India and international human rights laws,” he said.

Hindu activist and the former member of District Minority Committee Multan Dr Kishwar Kumar termed CAB a ‘stigma’ launched by the incumbent Indian government. Dr Kumar said “BJP government is not truly representing the Hindu community and portraying them as gang of extremists who were behind aggravating rift with Muslims over historic Babri mosque. He stressed that Indian government must not downplay contribution of millions of Muslim citizens for progress and development of their country.  

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2019.