How civil society, opposition & students responded to the CAA

Amidst growing uproar over the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country, the police on Saturday, arrested the Bhim army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, outside the Jama Masjid in Delhi. Though Azad was denied a permission to protest, he was spotted in a huge crowd which gathered in front of Jama Masjid after the Friday prayers. During the protest the dalit leader was seen holding the photograph of B R Ambedkar. Slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ rang out from the steps of Jama Masjid.

Recent crackdown by police officers on peaceful protesters is uncalled for in a healthy democracy. Earlier to this several protests and the subsequent arrest of the protesters took place in the National Capital region.

Days have passed, however, the anger against the contentious law doesn’t seem to calm down. On Friday, eleven persons were killed in several clashes between protestors and police in parts of Uttar Pradesh. Several other States which include Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Gujarat remained hotbed for protests against the CAA.

After incidents of violence were reported in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Thursday, said that his govt will take ‘revenge’ on those involved in violence over the amended Citizenship act by auctioning their properties to compensate for the losses. Whether, this warning will act as a deterrent for those protesting against the act, is yet to be seen.

The current situation in our country compels us to ask whether the Govt has failed in discharging it’s duties and is this govts failure that scores of students are forced to come on streets to protest against the controversial bill, which is believed to be against the Indian Constitution.

One cannot deny the fact that from day one, the Modi govt was aware of the fact that the CAB once passed will lead to widespread protests in the country. However, to its failure it did not take any precautionary measures to ensure proper law and order situation in the Country. Debates over whether the CAA is an attempt by BJP to build ‘Hindu Rashtra’ have already taken place and nothing more can be said or written about the same.

Opposition is also at blame since it miserably failed to show some responsibility towards maintaing peace of the land, irresponsible/inciting speech given by our elected representatives worsened the situation further. Coming to the students role on the whole issue, it is always appreciable that the youths of our country are enlightened enough to raise their voice, whenever they feel that the Govt is misleading them.

However, the way the studenst of Jamia Milia University have protested and indulged in a large scale violence has no place in a civilized society. Students setting ablaze the buses and two wheelers and resorting to stone pelting on security persons is highly condemnable. The matter is now lying before the Supreme Court and it is now the Court that will decide the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The apex court has scheduled January 22, as the date to conduct hearing on nearly 60 petitions challenging the Act. Nonetheless, law and order should be maintained at all costs and no one should be allowed to take law in its hands.

source: https://molitics.in/article/622/how-civil-society-opposition-students-responded-to-the-caa