A group of Indian Muslim NGOs have handed over a memorandum opposing India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) to the Indian High Commission in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
The memorandum received the support of 10 NGOs which claimed to represent over 70 other Indian Muslim NGOs and was submitted by about 20 representatives who handed over the memorandum to the Indian High Commissioner.
Among the NGOs involved are the Malaysian Indian Muslim Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MIMCOIN), Federation of Malaysian Indian-Muslim Associations (Permim), Penang Muslim League, Malaysian Association of Malabari Associations (Ummah) and the Indian Muslim Association of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
In the memorandum, the protestors objected to the CAA which aims to fast-track citizenship for persecuted Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who arrived in India before Dec 31, 2014, from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Despite acknowledging India's right to enact its own laws, they expressed the concern that the CAA would affect other minority communities around the world, in addition to violating secular principles in India's own constitution.
Their objections also stem from concerns that the exclusion of certain religions in the CAA will be set as a precedent by other countries to take similar action against minorities.
According to MIMCOIN President Syed Jamarulkhan MS Khadir, who presided at the meeting, another matter raised was that the NRC's enforcement was expected to cause Muslims in India to change their status to that of refugees if it was implemented together with the CAA.
"We hope the Indian government can restore or enact laws that all citizens are treated fairly.
"(...) If the NRC merges with the CAA, Muslims will get a huge blow, if they do not have proof (they are Indian citizens), they will be labelled as refugees (according to the CAA)," he told reporters after the submission of the memorandum.
However, Jamarulkhan claimed that the deputy Indian High Commissioner had made it clear that the NRC would not be enforced.
According to MIMCOIN Secretary-General Shahul Hameed Dawood, the CAA and the NRC not only affect Muslims in India but "anyone who does not meet the criteria".
"We have expressed our concerns to the proper authorities, they have assured us that this will bring to the attention of the Indian government, and they will respond to us.
"I think it is a good meeting with the Deputy Indian High Commissioner," he said of the 30-minute meeting.
The memorandum was received by the Deputy High Commissioner of India in Malaysia, Archana Nair.
The passing of the CAA on Dec 11 initially triggered demonstrations in the eastern state of Assam, where protesters fear it will make illegal migrants from Bangladesh legal residents.
At least 21 people have now been killed and more than 2,000 people have been arrested since the law was passed in protests that represent the first major opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s legislative agenda since his party’s landslide re-election this year.
Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and is part of Modi’s Hindu nationalist agenda. The Indian government denies this. - Mkini
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