LIVE | Assam police 'order' Opposition parties to withdraw stir against CAA, warn of action

With the Centre notifying the rules of CAA, the demand for the relocation of Rohingya refugees settled in Jammu has come to the fore with some political parties and social organisations batting for fulfilment of their demand, while the Opposition is calling it a move to polarise the electorate.

According to government data, over 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and Kashmir, where their population increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016.

“The decision of the government to implement CAA is purely vote bank politics by the BJP. They are trying to get benefit by polarising the electorate,” National Conference (NC) leader and former minister Ajay Sadhotra told PTI.

However, the BJP welcomed it by saying that it is a relief to the persecuted persons. “We welcome the decision of the government. It is a good step to grant citizenship to persecuted persons,” J-K BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi told PTI.

He said issues like Rohingya refugees settled in Jammu and Kashmir should be addressed by removing them from Jammu as they are a threat to security of the UT. They are a burden on the resources of this country and they have no reason to reach Jammu from 3,000km away from the border area they have come from, Sethi said, adding that there is obviously some plan in this.

J-K Congress spokesman Kapil Singh hit out at the BJP government by saying that it is purely a step towards polarisation. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government are claiming huge development in the country but it is clear that they want to take advantage of polarisation for electoral gains. This is a step towards that,” Singh said.

The Shiv Sena Dogra Front, while welcoming the decision of the government, called for deportation of the Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis back to their countries. “We welcome the decision of the government. But we have been batting strongly that Rohingyas and Bangladeshis settled in Jammu should be deported back to their countries. There were huge agitations in this regard,” SSDF president Ashok Gupta said.

Rakesh Kumar of Bajrang Dal also welcomed the move and called for immediate shifting of illegal immigrants in Jammu.

During a verification drive in March 2021, the police found over 270 Rohingya Muslims living illegally in Jammu city and subsequently lodged them in a holding centre inside the Kathua sub-jail. Over 110 FIRs were lodged against those giving them shelter and helping them get Aadhaar and other cards.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal has dubbed the notification of the CAA as a “divisive” ploy by the ruling BJP at the Centre, in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections.

RJD spokesman Rishi Mishra also questioned the timing of the notification, which came more than four years after the bill was passed by Parliament.

Mishra told PTI video: “You (BJP) had forgotten about CAA after the bill was passed in 2019. Now, suddenly you remember it with just about a week left for announcement of polls. If there was an urgency, what were you waiting for all these years?”

“It is undoubtedly a divisive trick by the BJP which is wary of facing the elections. Can it seek votes for letting prices of petrol and cooking gas soar? But the ruling party shall realize that voters are smart enough to see through the game,” he said.

Meanwhile, JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar, whose party is an NDA partner and had voted in favour of the bill, sought to allay misgivings about CAA.

“The CAA is meant to grant citizenship to certain types of people. We would urge the people of Bihar to be on their guard against scaremongering. Nobody can be deprived of citizenship through this Act,” said Anwar, who is a close aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The JD(U) regards all 13 crore people of Bihar as family, he said.

“Nobody needs to feel threatened when we are at the helm of affairs. Some people may have doubts about the legal validity of this Act. Let us wait for the court’s verdict on that,” Anwar said.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has said the notification of CAA rules is a “logical conclusion” and example of “good governance in India”.

Stating that the law was passed by Parliament some years ago, he said what is happening now is its “logical conclusion” by way of notification of the rules and regulations.

“I see it as a part of the normal process of good governance in this country,” the governor told reporters in Kolkata.

On Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments on CAA minutes before its notification, Bose said the Act and also the framing of the rules show that the democratically elected government at the Centre does not act without enacting a law, maintaining, “this is the rule of law in place of the law of the rulers”. The governor said it is a good step towards the democratic functioning in the country.

Bose said he agrees with the contention of the chief minister that she will first understand what the finalised rules are and then respond to it. “We are on the same page on that,” he said.

In a press conference, Banerjee said she would offer her detailed opinion on CAA on Tuesday after thoroughly going through the notification and the finalised rules.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said the CAA was against the Constitution and accused the ruling BJP of “dividing every issue between Hindus and Muslims”.

“The first thing is, why there was so much delay? If there was delay, then what was the problem (in implementing it) after the elections? Their (BJP’s) only objective is to divide every issue between Hindus and Muslims,” the Rajya Sabha MP told reporters.

The Constitution gives everyone the right to practise their religion and “therefore, if any law decides on the basis of religion who can become a citizen and who cannot, then in my opinion it is against the Constitution”, he asserted.