Is CAA + NRC good or bad?

CAA

CAA – Citizenship amendment act (was referred as CAB – citizenship amendment bill before it became act) which is passed in December 2019 in India will give citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian religious minorities who migrated from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to India before 31 December 2014.

NRC

NRC (National register of citizens of India) act had been implemented in Assam and will be applied throughout country as a next step as claimed by home minister Amit Shah. When it will be implemented, all citizens will have to prove that they are citizens of India through various documents.

Nation wide protests have been erupted against CAA especially in the context of envisioned NRC implementation.

Though there are lot of gray areas but to simplify the discussion let me say on high level there are two notions of thoughts. One which supports and celebrates these acts and other which wants Government to retract the act. In this blog I would like to see these acts from both positive and negative perspectives and pose some questions. My hope is this blog will reach out to at least my direct contacts and we can have a constructive discussion. I would like to know your thoughts.

Negative perspective

1. First time religion has been used as a criterion for Citizenship. This is against the secular values of Indian constitution. By the way, lot of rightists want ‘secular’ word to be removed from constitution.
2. CAA and NRC combination could be unfair to Muslims. E.g. Lets say, while registering in NRC, authority finds one Muslim and one Hindu who cannot prove that they are Indian Citizens. In this case Hindu can be given citizenship if he/she claims that she has migrated from Bangladesh to India before December 2014. Muslim will be deported.
3. BJP and RSS have Hindutva ideology. They want Hindu Rashtra. Not that BJP has officially promised Hindu Rashtra in their manifesto yet but lot of their leaders’ don’t shy away from expressing their views openly. BJP party has a history of thriving on Hindu votes. CAA + NRC is a natural step towards Hindu Rashtra. More than party’s ideology what worries me is lot of people back this ideology. Only way to stop BJP from advancing their ideology is for people to understand this is not helpful. Otherwise we are doomed. We already have lot of bullshit going on in the name of religion and cast.

Positive perspective

1. Since decades religious minorities have been facing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. CAA gives them a legal provision to be citizens of India and live comfortable and dignified life.
2. NRC will ensure that illegal migrants are removed from country. Illegal migrants not just increase the load on resources including jobs but also are threat to security. E.g. In Mumbai, lot of times it has been alleged that criminal activities have increased because of illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

Questions

1. Is this the priority of home ministry over all other issues? What are other initiatives of home ministry to improve law and order apart from CAA and NRC? What are the steps being taken to address the issue of increasing rape incidents?
2. To implement NRC in Assam it required more than 52000 people, 1200 Crore expenditure and 10 years. If it has to be implemented across country what is the estimate of resources and time? What is the plan to ensure smooth execution and avoid unfair treatment to Muslim community?
3. In parliamentary debate related to CAA, Amit Shah mentioned that no documents required for non-Muslims to become citizens of India. How would you identify Muslim vs non-Muslims? If any Muslim fakes her identity how will you ensure to uncover such cases.
4. There are already lot of identity cards in India like PAN card, voter Id card, driving license, Adhaar card etc. What difference is NRC going to make? Are you going to issue new ID card?
5. Isn’t the purpose of CAA to give support to persecuted minorities? Isn’t that based on humanitarian aspect? Then why would you exclude Muslims? If you argument is that will increase the load on resource, are you saying that we are able to take care of non-Muslim migrants?
6. We are facing economic slowdown, job crisis. Industries are getting closed. What is the need to increase the burden especially at this point? I agree with Amit Shah’s argument that finance ministry and home ministry are different and they are doing their own jobs but shouldn’t you consider implication of your decisions on economic growth/slowdown aspects?
7. What problems of our country will be solved through these bills? What is stopping you to work on those problems now without these bills? E.g. Are you claiming that crimes will stop after NRC? Are you claiming that migrants will not come to India after NRC? How are they coming now? How will these laws or new card solve the problem?
8. Announcing something or passing the law when you are in majority is easier than implementation. NRC at this scale is tedious, expensive and controversial. Rahul Kanwal had asked Amit Shah in Agenda Aaj Tak on how he plans to implement NRC to which he replied “vo chinta hume karne dijiye”. So basically we are just supposed to take Government’s word for proper implementation like we did for demonetization.

Most of the times we support or oppose something based on who is saying it because we don’t have enough expertise or information to form our opinions. Whether to trust the Government in each of their decisions just because they say what you want to hear is something we will have to decide. I would chose to ask questions and try to know more. In case of such laws I cannot trust on the words of party which wants Hindu Rashtra. I am against CAA and NRC. At least in today’s times. Where do you stand on this?