Members of the Congress took out a protest march opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019, which has since become an Act, under the aegis of the Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagar District Congress Committee here on Friday. Congress leaders Altaf Hallur, Ismail Tamatgar and Robert Daddapuri, among others, led the protestors. First, they took out a protest march and later staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the President through the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The protesters stated that the Bill in the wake of providing citizenship would divide society on the lines of religion and neglect minorities. This apart, the Bill states that a person belonging to a minority community in another country and is being harassed will only be entitled to Indian citizenship. Secularism is the key tool in the Constitution and the country has been a home for refugees seeking shelter. But, some sections in the Bill clearly states that Muslims will be kept out of its ambit. This Bill has been tabled to weaken the social fabric of the country and ride on the votes of minorities seeking shelter here, they said.
The protesters further said that refugees belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhism and Christianity would easily get citizenship and Muslims cannot avail themselves of it. Even though the Constitution preaches that all religions are equal, the Bill has brought in inequality between religions, they added.
Amid growing opposition, the BJP government at the Centre has tabled the Bill in both the Houses of Parliament. This Bill, if brought into force, would attack the secular principles in the Constitution and create division among communities. Hence, they demanded that the President reject the Bill and ask the Centre to reconsider it.
