Rise Up and Defeat Modi Govt.’s Move to Super-impose of Anti-Muslim, Anti-Secular and Unconstitutional CAA
CPI (ML) Red Star
Though Modi government tried to superimpose the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) that was passed by Parliament on 11 December 2019, it could not proceed with it and was forced to put it on hold due to massive country-wide protests. Till now, Modi govt.’s response to the various cases against CAA in Supreme Court was that the Rules regarding CAA have not yet been framed. It is in this context that, in continuation of the Ram Temple Consecration, on the eve of Election notification and with the aim of creating maximum majoritarian Hindutva polarization against Muslims, on 11 March 2024, the Modi govt. has come forward with its Notification of the CAA Rules, 2024, even as the Supreme Court is yet to decide on the many pending cases on CAA.
Obviously, the CAA extends Indian citizenship for 6 non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who arrived in India before 2014, while totally excluding Muslims. The broad spectrum of parties, organisations and movements representing people of all walks of life during 2019-20 itself had vehemently opposed this move specifically targeting Muslims and exposed the theocratic Hindurashtra agenda behind it. The CAA not only violates the Citizenship Act,1955 but undermines the secular character of the Constitution as explained in Articles 25 to 28 as well as Right to Equality as per Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. According to the Indian Constitution, citizenship is religious-neutral, and insertion of religion as a criterion of citizenship goes against the basic character of the Constitution.
However, as the General Election is near, RSS, world’s biggest and longest running fascist organisation, using its political tool BJP, is now in a madding pace towards its ultimate aim of establishing a Hindurashtra or so called Ram Rajya in which, as envisaged by its erstwhile chief Golwalkar, Muslims are the number one enemy of the ‘nation’. Viewed in this perspective, to be precise, implicit in CAA is an outright ‘delegitimisation’ of Muslims. Thus, in continuation of the series of anti-Muslim and Islamophobic moves such as Abrogation of Article 370, inauguration of Ram Temple at the very site of demolished Babri Masjid, Uniform Civil Code and so on, as per the diktats of RSS, the Modi regime is now speeding up the majoritarian polarization for achieving its ‘Mission 400’, i.e., capturing 400 seats in parliament in the forthcoming election. In this, CAA is the latest fascist weapon.
Now, on the eve of the General election, as Modi govt has hurriedly notified the CAA Rules, protests are coming up all over India. In this context, some opposition-ruled State governments have declared that that they will not implement CAA in their respective states. However, this seems to be difficult as per the Rules already notified. For, according CAA Rules, 2024, the entire process of CAA implementation is under the firm administrative grip of the corporate-saffron fascist regime at the Centre. The whole procedures ranging from receiving applications, their processing that includes conducting of background and security checks to granting of citizenship are entrusted with Committees comprising Officials of Census Operations, Officers of IB, Post Master General and Officials of Informatics Centre, all being under the direct control Central regime. Provisions of the 2009 Citizenship Rules that require the Centre to consult with State are totally violated as per the just notified CAA Rules. Thus, Federalism has also become one of the casualties of CAA. Further, States’ powers are very limited too. And, the fascists will have no qualms to overcome resistance from State governments by using Article 356 as it is mandatory on the part of States to govern according to laws passed by parliament as per Article 256.
No doubt, Fascism in the neoliberal period is flourishing at a global level effectively utilizing Islamophobia as its ideological basis. Across Europe, in Americas, in the Zionist extermination of Palestinians, and in many countries of Asia “De-Islamisation” and “anti-Muslimness” have become the favourite theme among a whole set of neo-fascist parties, and ruling regimes. And in India, RSS/BJP is a past-master in this vicious move. The RSS ideologues who are shedding crocodile tears over persecution of minorities in India’s neighbouring countries, is keeping a blind eye on the most persecuted Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar, Ahmadis of Pakistan and tens of thousands of Sri Lankan Refugees languishing in Camps in Tamil Nadu aspiring for India citizenship. It is up to all the democratic and well-meaning people to expose the fascist double-stand of RSS/BJP involved in this and resist and defeat this anti-Muslim move.
The repercussions of CAA together with NRC (National Register of Citizens which is expected to strip 4 million of citizenship in Assam alone ) are such that it can transform India (now being marketed as “Mother of Democracy” in which religion is the basis of citizenship), into a veritable chamber of fascist horror, where millions of people will become stateless, refugees and “asylum seekers” or “infiltrators” devoid of even basic human rights, and at the mercy of both fascist state power and street power, the latter handled by saffron goons. There is also fear among the oppressed Muslim communities that many Muslim immigrants in India will be forcibly deported or kept in “Transit Camps” and “Detention Centres” which are already started functioning.
At this horrific juncture, it is the solemn task of all people who uphold secularism and democracy to stand in solidarity with the victims of this majoritarian fascist move. For avoiding the imminent threat arising from superimposition of CAA, the only option is to rise up and move forward to defeat the RSS/BJP along with its fascist allies in the coming Lok Sabha Election. We appeal to all democratic forces and movements of oppressed Muslim minorities and all oppressed sections including Dalits, Adivasis and women workers, peasants and all toiling masses, youth and students to take it as the immediate task so as to avoid the disastrous consequences including that of CAA.
P J James
General Secretary
CPI (ML) Redstar
New Delhi
13th March 2024
