New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the government to take back the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Asaduddin Owaisi said the citizenship law was enacted on the basis of religion, which is a violation of Article 14.
After the Centre decided to repeal the three agricultural laws, there has been a demand from several quarters to withdraw the CAA, which has seen widespread protests.
Last week, BJP’s ally National People’s Party demanded the repeal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) at a meeting of constituents of the ruling NDA.
"Since farm laws have been repealed and this was done especially keeping in mind the interests of the people, I urge the government to repeal the CAA keeping in view the same sentiments of the people of the North-East," National People’s Party leader Agatha Sangma said.
Sangma made the demand at the all-party meeting called by the government that was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal.
Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has also urged the government to take back the CAA. BSP MP from Amroha Kunwar Danish Ali also called for the repeal of the CAA "without further delay".
The CAA was notified on December 12, 2019, and came into force with effect from January 10, 2020. The CAA aims to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities like Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
After the CAA was passed by Parliament, widespread protests and demonstrations gripped the country. Those opposing the CAA claimed that it discriminated on the basis of religion and violated the Constitution.