Author Chetan Bhagat recently spoke out on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Twitter. Bhagat, who is often seen as pro-Modi commented on the problems due to arise after the enactment of CAA clubbed with the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Bhagat wrote on Twitter that CAA, when enacted alone, is not the issue, but “But CAA+NRC is discriminatory.”
He further went on to explain the possible circumstances to arise when both laws will be enacted together across India.
He said that while the NRC will prove the citizenship of all Indians to citizens who will be able to produce the right documents to the government. The citizens who won’t be able to do the same will have to then pass through the CAA as well to prove their citizenship.
The CAA which grants Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who had entered India on or before December 31, 2014. It excludes Muslim minorities who are facing religious persecution from the bill.
When clubbed together, Indian Muslim citizens who won’t be able to prove their citizenship in NRC will then be declared as illegal immigrants according to the CAA, while Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi citizens will be saved by the CAA.
Muslim citizens will be given a short period to prove their citizenship.
Bhagat explained the awaiting crisis to be faced by Indian Muslims in a dialogue on Twitter.
He wrote, “NRC: All prove again u r Indian
Non-Muslim: sir I don’t have documents
Govt: it’s ok. CAA will save you. U are Indian.
Muslim: sir I don’t have documents
Govt: too bad. U are not Indian. Get out.”
While several groups, especially students have been protesting the CAA and NRC, Section 144 has been imposed in several parts of India with heavy deployment of forces.
