The Telangana State Minorities Commission has sent a letter to the State government asking it to urge the Centre to reconsider its stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the National Register of Citizens.
The minorities panel was responding to a petition filed by city-based activist S Q Masood, who in his representation stated that legislation and the NRC were ‘ultra-vires’.
“On Dec 23, 2019 this Commission and all its members unanimously decided to forward the petition to government for necessary action. Hence request you to kindly examine the petition and take necessary action to move the matter to the Central government for reconsideration,” an excerpt from a letter from the Commission to the Principal Secretary to the State government reads.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr Masood said that he approached the Commission as it deals with issues such as discrimination of minorities. The CAA, he claimed, is not only discriminatory, but also against the Constitution.
“The CAA shockingly uses religion as a key determinant to confer Indian citizenship. This was not the case in 1955. The new Act is a violation of Article 14, 15 and 21. The CAA and the NRC, and now NPR, are dangerous for all citizens, especially Muslims. I wrote to the Commission because it is a body which protects minorities, including Muslims. It can issue recommendations to the Telangana government. I hope it does something to stop the CAA and NRC combine,” Mr Masood said.
Meanwhile, Mushtaq Mallik, convener of the ‘Million March’ and Majlis Bachao Tehreek leader Amjed Ullah Khan approached the Commission asking it to intervene after cases were reportedly booked on organisers. Both reiterated that the march was peaceful.
