Hyderabad: Students of the University of Hyderabad and the Maulana Azad Urdu National Urdu University (MANUU) expressed their unequivocal opposition towards the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the Union government.
They burnt the gazette notification copies and vowed to resist the decision.
Raising concern over the protection of constitutional values, students belonging to the MANUU students union and the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) of the UoH said that they firmly stand with the principles of justice, equality, and secularism.
In an official statement issued on Tuesday, March 12, the MANUU students union said that the CAA, enacted in 2019, was a subject of intense debate and concern nationwide.
“Our opposition to the CAA under the Hindutva framework is rooted in our commitment to safeguarding the rights of every citizen, irrespective of their religious background. We believe that any legislation that discriminates based on religion goes against the principles of equality and social justice,” it said.
The body claimed that it opposed CAA because it wanted to question the “arbitrariness” of it.
“The CAA rules notification threatens the country’s social fabric,” the MSF said, in a press release.
“We refuse to accept discriminatory rules that divide people based on religion and systematically target the Muslim minority of India,” said Anees Hasan, the President of MSF.
“The notification of CAA rules is setting the stage for active discrimination of Muslims by
policy,” he further said.
“It not only promotes the Hindutva idea of citizenship but also specifically excludes Muslims, creating second-class citizenship for them. Citizenship can never be based on religion; thus, we call CAA discriminatory, unjust, and unconstitutional,” the statement from MANUU students union said.
“Hindutva, as an ideology, has been a source of contention for its potential to undermine the secular fabric of India. We firmly believe in preserving the secular ethos enshrined in our constitution, and we recognize the significance of maintaining a harmonious and inclusive society that celebrates diversity,” it further read.
The MANUU students’ union has now called upon the government to reconsider the implementation of the CAA and engage in a meaningful dialogue with the stakeholders to address concerns and promote inclusivity.
