Demand to repeal CAA gains ground in UP

Lucknow, Nov 21 (IANS) Several Muslim organisations and members of the civil society have now urged the government to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of the farm laws.

BSP MP from Amroha, Kunwar Danish Ali, has called for the repeal of the CAA "without further delay".

"Repealing 3 Farm Laws is a welcome move. I congratulate farmers for their will power to fight, sacrifice and defeat the mighty state power and their crony capitalist friends. Prime Minister Modi must also reconsider and repeal CAA 'without further delay'," he tweeted.

Jamiat president Maulana Arshad Madani welcomed the announcement of withdrawal of the three farm laws and lauded the farmers for their "success".

Madani claimed that the agitation against the CAA encouraged farmers to protest the farm laws.

He demanded that just like the agri laws, the CAA should be withdrawn.

He said that the decision to withdraw the farm laws has shown that democracy and the power of the people is paramount.

"Every effort was made to subdue the farmers' movement just as it was done with all other agitations in the country," Madani alleged.

Darul Uloom Deoband spokesman, Maulana Sufiyan Nijami, said that just like the farm laws, the government should take back the the CAA for harmony and peace in society.

S.R. Darapuri, a social activist, also said that time has come for the CAA to be repealed, adding that the people's sentiments should be respected.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, another activist who participated in the anti-CAA protests said that "like-minded people" were mulling restarting their agitation that had been called off during the pandemic.

"The farmers have shown the way and if sustained protests by them can force repealing of farm laws, why can't we do the same?" she queried.

The CAA was notified on December 12, 2019, and came into force with effect from January 10, 2020.

After the CAA was passed by Parliament, widespread protests were witnessed in different parts of the country.

The CAA is aimed at granting Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities like Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan but Muslims do not find a mention.