India

Notification of Citizenship Amendment Act issued in India

Monday, March 11, 2024

The Central Government of India has issued a notification to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Giving this information, the spokesperson of the Home Ministry of India has said that to get citizenship, one will have to apply online. A web portal will be launched soon for this.

Giving information about this, India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on Twitter, "Modi government has issued the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, which will help the minorities who came to India due to religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. You will get citizenship here."

"Through this notification, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has fulfilled another commitment made by the makers of the Constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in these countries."

Earlier, the spokesperson of the Home Ministry of India had written on Twitter, "Today the Home Ministry will issue a notification regarding the provisions of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. With this, any person eligible under CAA-2019 can apply for Indian citizenship.''

After the notification was issued, India's Law Minister (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal wrote on Twitter, "What was said was done... Modi government fulfilled its guarantee by issuing the notification of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)."
 
What is the Citizenship Amendment Act?

The Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 was passed in the Parliament of India on 11 December 2019.

Its objective is to give Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christian minorities who came to India due to religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Muslims have not been included in this.

Not including Muslims in this is a cause of controversy. The opposition says that this is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India which gives the right to equality to all citizens. On one hand it is being said that this is an attempt to give citizenship to minorities who are victims of religious persecution. On the other hand, Muslims allege that through this, steps are being taken to render them homeless.

This law has been accused of violating secularism. According to the Indian Constitution, no one in the country can be discriminated against on the basis of religion. But there is no provision in this law to give citizenship to Muslims. For this reason, allegations of violation of secularism are being made.

There have been calls to launch massive agitation in Assam and several states of the North-East after the CAA rules were notified.

Dilip Kumar Sharma, BBC's associate correspondent in Guwahati, Assam, Indian state, has told that as soon as the CAA notification was issued on the evening of Monday, March 11, 2024. Activists of All Assam Students Union (AASU) expressed their protest by burning copies of the CAA law in each district.

Student organization All Assam Students Union (AASU) has given a call to start a movement across the state from Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Meanwhile, regional party Assam Jatiya Parishad has called on people to go on strike against this law on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has said that if CAA is implemented in the country, she will oppose it.

Mamta Banerjee said that she will not remain silent if there is discrimination between groups in the country. Mamta said that CAA and NRC are sensitive issues for West Bengal and North East and she does not want unrest to spread in the country before the Lok Sabha elections.

In a surprise press conference called at the State Secretariat in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee said, ''There is speculation that a notification will be issued to implement CAA. But let me make it clear that any decision that discriminates between people will be opposed."

According to BBC associate correspondent Prabhakar Mani Tiwari, during the press conference, Mamata Banerjee said, "If you had the courage, you would have implemented CAA earlier, why on the occasion of elections? I will not let anyone lose their citizenship."

What did Owaisi say on the notification of implementation of CAA rules?

Monday, March 11, 2024

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi has given his reaction after the notification of rules related to CAA law was issued in India.

Asaduddin Owaisi has written on X, "You understand the chronology." First the election season will come, then CAA rules will come. Our protest against CAA continues. This is a divisive law and is based on the ideas of Godse. Those ideas which want to make the Muslims of India second class citizens."

Asaduddin Owaisi has written, "Give political asylum to anyone who is being persecuted in the name of religion, but the basis of citizenship should not be religion or nationality."

"The government should explain why it postponed this rule for five years and why it is implementing it now. The purpose of CAA along with NPR-NRC is to target Muslims. It has no other purpose."

Owaisi has written that those who took to the streets against CAA, NPR and NRC now have no other option but to come out against it once again.

SBI will not get relief from Supreme Court on electoral bonds, will have to give information by tomorrow

Monday, March 11, 2024

The Supreme Court of India has rejected SBI's demand to extend the deadline for sharing information related to electoral bonds till June 30, 2024.

The Supreme Court has asked SBI to provide information related to electoral bonds by Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Also, the Supreme Court has ordered the Central Election Commission to collect all the information and make it public on the official website of the Election Commission by 5 pm on March 15, 2024.

SBI had applied to the Supreme Court on March 5, 2024, that it should be given time till June 30, 2024, to make public the information related to electoral bonds.

On this, a five-member bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has given this decision on Monday, March 11, 2024.

The bench is headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. Along with him, the bench includes Justice Sanjeev Khanna, Justice BR Gavai, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra.

During the hearing held on February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court had declared electoral bonds unconstitutional and asked SBI to provide all the information related to it to the Election Commission by March 6, 2024.

Supreme Court rejected SBI's application on electoral bonds, what did Prashant Bhushan say?

Monday, March 11, 2024

After the rejection of SBI's demand to extend the deadline for sharing information related to electoral bonds till June 30, 2024, renowned lawyer Prashant Bhushan has welcomed this decision.

Prashant Bhushan said that like the earlier decision of the court on this matter, this is a good and solid decision.

Prashant Bhushan had filed a contempt of court case against SBI on behalf of Association for Democratic Reforms i.e. ADR.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Prashant Bhushan said, "The Supreme Court has taken a tough stance on the petition to extend the deadline for making public the information related to those who donate by purchasing electoral bonds and those who encash these bonds till June 30, 2024."

Prashant Bhushan said, "The court rejected SBI's petition and mentioned that the data the court had sought from them was already available with SBI."

What did Congress President Kharge say on SBI not getting more time from Supreme Court on electoral bonds?

Monday, March 11, 2024

The Congress Party has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court not to give more time to SBI regarding electoral bonds.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the Supreme Court's decision is a victory for transparency, accountability and level playing field in democracy.

SBI had filed an application asking the Supreme Court to extend the deadline for providing information related to electoral bonds to June 30, 2024.

On Monday, March 11, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected this application and ordered SBI to provide information by tomorrow i.e. Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

Also, the Supreme Court has said that this information should be uploaded on the Election Commission's website by 5 pm on March 15, 2024.

Mallikarjun Kharge said on this decision, "After SBI asked for four and a half months to publish electoral bonds, it became clear that the Modi government is making every possible effort to cover up its dark deeds. Today's decision of the Honorable Supreme Court. The country will soon know the list of those who donated to BJP through electoral bonds."

Mallikarjun Kharge said, "This is the first step in exposing the corruption, scams and transactions of the Modi government. Even now the country will not know for which contracts the selected capitalist fund-holders of BJP give donations to the Modi government. Honorable Supreme Court should give proper instructions for that. Media reports have revealed how BJP used to extort donations by conducting ED-CBI-IT raids. Supreme Court's decision is against transparency, accountability and equality in democracy. It is a victory of opportunity.”

What did Rahul Gandhi say when the Supreme Court rejected SBI's application regarding electoral bonds?

Monday, March 11, 2024

After the setback to SBI from the Supreme Court on the issue of electoral bonds, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that 'Narendra Modi's donation business is about to be exposed.'

Rahul wrote on Twitter, "The government that came to power with the promise of bringing back black money from Swiss banks in 100 days, stood before the Supreme Court to hide the data of its own bank."

Rahul Gandhi said, "Electoral bonds are going to prove to be the biggest scam in Indian history, which will expose the nexus of corrupt industrialists and the government and bring the real face of Narendra Modi in front of the country."

"The chronology is clear - donate money - take business, donate money - take protection. Shower of blessings on those who donate and hit the general public with taxes, this is BJP's Modi government."

On Monday, March 11, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected the petition filed by SBI seeking time till June 30, 2024 to provide information about electoral bonds.

The Supreme Court has asked SBI to provide this information by March 12, 2024.

Criticizing the abrogation of Article 370 is not a crime: Supreme Court

Friday, March 8, 2024

The Supreme Court of India, in an important decision on Thursday, March 7, 2024, said that criticizing the abrogation of Article 370 is not a crime.

The Supreme Court said this while quashing the case filed against Javed Ahmed Hazam, a professor from the Indian state of Maharashtra.

The Supreme Court also said that the police should be sensitive to India's democratic values and the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

What is the matter?

Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam, in his WhatsApp status, had criticized the abrogation of Article 370 and described August 5, 2019 as a 'black day' for Jammu and Kashmir.

Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam had written '5th August - Black Day Jammu and Kashmir' and '14th August - Independence Day Pakistan' on his WhatsApp status.

On this comment of Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam, the police had registered a case against Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam. Maharashtra Police had imposed Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code on Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam.

The Supreme Court also said that if every criticism or protest against the government is considered a crime under Section 153-A, then democracy will not survive in the country (India).

A bench of Supreme Court Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said that declaring August 5, 2019 as 'Black Day' is an expression of protest and pain.

Earlier, the Bombay High Court had refused to quash the FIR against Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam and had said that the comments of Professor Javed Ahmed Hazam could promote animosity and ill will between different groups of the society.

India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced the abrogation of Article 370 in the Parliament on August 5, 2019.

This decision of the Government of India was also challenged in the Supreme Court.

About three months ago, on December 11, 2023, the Constitution Bench of five judges of the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the government that the removal of Article 370 was right.

What did GN Saibaba say after coming out of jail?

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, based in India, spoke to media persons after his release from jail for alleged links with Maoists.

GN Saibaba said, "If the Constitution of the country is implemented even 50 percent then there will definitely be a change, I am hopeful."

When a reporter asked GN Saibaba about his hope of getting out of jail, he said, "Look, hope was the only thing that helped me and I was able to go through all this. It is a surprise that I was able to get out of jail alive."

Former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, who was acquitted in the case of alleged links with Maoists, came out of Nagpur's Central Jail on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

On March 5, 2024, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted GN Saibaba, Hem Mishra, Mahesh Tirkey, Vijay Tirkey, Narayan Sanglikar, Prashant Rahi and Pandu Narot (deceased) in the case of alleged links with Maoists.

GN Saibaba was in jail in 2017 following the decision of a court in Gadchiroli in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Before this, he was also in jail between 2014 and 2016 but was out on bail at that time.

According to news agency PTI, after coming out of jail, GN Saibaba told media persons, "My health is very bad. I cannot talk. First I will have to get treatment, only then I will be able to speak."

On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the Nagpur bench had overturned Saibaba's life imprisonment saying that the prosecution could not prove the charges against him.

54 year old Saibaba walks in a wheelchair and is 99 percent disabled. He was imprisoned in Nagpur Central Jail for the last 11 years.

What did Rahul Gandhi say about seeking time to give information on SBI's electoral bonds?

Monday, March 4, 2024

In India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticized the Modi government on SBI's appeal to extend the date of providing information related to electoral bonds.

The Supreme Court of India had declared electoral bonds unconstitutional on 15 February 2024.

The Supreme Court had also asked the State Bank of India to provide information about the funds received by political parties through electoral bonds to the Election Commission by March 6, 2024.

However, SBI has appealed to the Supreme Court to extend this deadline to June 30, 2024.

On this, Rahul Gandhi has written on the social media site Wants that this information should not be made public before the elections?

Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Asking for time till June 30, 2024 for information that can be extracted with one click shows that there is nothing black in the pulses, the entire pulses are black."

"Every independent organization of the country is trying to cover up his corruption by becoming the 'Modani family'. This is the last attempt to hide the 'real face' of Modi before the elections.

MPs and MLAs will not get exemption in bribery cases: Supreme Court

Monday, March 4, 2024

A seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India has given an important decision on Monday, March 4, 2024, in the case related to the privileges of MPs and MLAs.

The Supreme Court has said that MPs and MLAs will not get any legal protection under the privilege in cases of taking bribes.

With this, the Supreme Court has overturned its decision of Narasimha Rao Judgment of 1998.

Then the bench of five judges had decided with a majority of 3:2 that public representatives cannot be prosecuted in such cases.

After the Supreme Court's decision, lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay told news agency PTI, "The bench of seven judges unanimously said that taking money to ask questions or taking money to vote in Rajya Sabha elections is completely against the constitutional spirit. This is against the constitution. Therefore no one will be privileged. The freedom of speech that MPs and MLAs have in Parliament or Assembly is the freedom to work honestly. There is no freedom to commit corruption.”

According to legal news website Live Law, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, while delivering the verdict on the matter, said, "The purpose of legislative privileges is to give privileges to the House collectively. Article 105/194 seeks to create a fear-free environment for the members. Corruption and bribery are going to destroy parliamentary democracy."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the Supreme Court's decision not to provide any legal protection to MPs and MLAs in bribery cases.

Narendra Modi wrote on social media, "Welcome. The Honorable Supreme Court has given a very great decision. The decision of the Supreme Court will ensure clean politics and will increase people's confidence in the system."

India will get fencing done on 1643 km long border with Myanmar

Tuesday, 6 February 2024

The Central Government of India has decided to fence the 1643 km long border with Myanmar. India's Union Home Minister Amit Shah gave this information by tweeting.

Amit Shah said that this will allow better surveillance, patrolling and tracking on the border. Amit Shah said that 10 km long border fencing has been done in Moreh in the Indian state of Manipur.

Amit Shah said, "Work is going on on two pilot projects of fencing through Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS). Under this, a kilometer long border will be fenced in the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur."

Amit Shah said that about 20 km long fencing in Manipur has been approved and work on it will start soon.

This announcement of fencing has come at a time when violence has been going on in Manipur for the last several months. Manipur state shares about 400 km long border with Myanmar. Recently, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had accused the previous central governments of ignoring the northeastern states.

India asks its citizens not to travel to Myanmar's Rakhine state

Tuesday, 6 February 2024

India has asked its citizens not to travel to Rakhine state of Myanmar. The Ministry of External Affairs of India has issued an advisory in this regard.

According to an advisory from India's Ministry of External Affairs, "Due to the deteriorating security situation, disruption of communication services, including landlines, and acute shortage of basic goods, all Indians are advised not to visit Rakhine State in Myanmar."

"The Indians who are already present in Rakhine state should immediately vacate the area."

Violence has continued in Rakhine state since 2016. However, in recent days the conflict between Myanmar's military regime and the Arakan Army (AA) rebel group in Rakhine state has intensified.

America approves four billion dollar drone agreement with India
 
Friday, February 2, 2024

The US State Department has approved a four billion dollar agreement to provide 31 state-of-the-art armed drones to India.

The agreement for the MQ-9B Predator drone was announced during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US in June 2023.

The agreement was put on hold by the Senate Committee in December 2023 due to the investigation into the alleged conspiracy to murder an Indian in America.

Now this agreement has been approved by the US Congress.

The Pentagon said the deal includes the sale of 31 armed MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, 170 AGAM-114R Hellfire missiles and 310 small diameter bombs, communications and surveillance equipment and precision glide bombs.

The prime contractor of this agreement will be General Atomics Aeronautics Systems.

According to news agency Reuters, Senator Ben Cardin said that the agreement was finalized only after the US government agreed to fully investigate the conspiracy behind the Gurpatwant Singh Pannu murder.

Senator Ben Cardin said, "The Biden administration has demanded that there should be investigation and accountability for the conspiracy on American soil and accountability should be fixed for such activities in India too."

In the year 2023, the US had accused the Indian government of conspiring to assassinate an American citizen who supported Khalistan.

On Thursday, February 1, 2024, the Pentagon said that "to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship, this proposed drone agreement with India will support US foreign policy and national security objectives."

Gyanvapi Masjid case: Court gives Hindu side right to worship in basement

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

The court of Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has given its verdict in support of the Hindu side in the case of Gyanvapi Mosque. The Varanasi court has given the Hindu side the right to worship in the Vyas basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque.

The order issued by the court reads - "District Magistrate, Varanasi/Receiver is directed to hand over the basement situated on the south side of the building situated at Settlement Plot No. 9130 Thana-Chowk, District Varanasi, which is the suit property. "The plaintiff and the priest designated by the Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board should get the puja, raga-bhog performed for the idols located in the basement and for this purpose, make proper arrangements in the iron fence etc. within 7 days."

Hindu side's lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, while talking to the media, said, "The district administration has been asked to make arrangements for conducting the puja within seven days. As soon as the administration does this, the puja will start."

Vishnu Shankar Jain has also commented on the rules and regulations for worshiping in the mosque premises.

Vishnu Shankar Jain said, "Kashi Vishwanath Trust will decide how the puja will be conducted. It knows better. It was our legal work which we have completed. Now it is up to the Kashi Vishwanath Trust to start the puja. From the devotees to Priests etc. will all be allowed to go.''

"I want to say that Justice KM Pandey had ordered opening of the lock of Ram Temple on February 1, 1986. I see today's order in comparison to that. This is the turning point of this case. A government Misusing his power, he had stopped the worship of the Hindu community. Today the court has rectified it with its pen."

Dr. Rajiv Dhawan, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of India and an expert on constitutional matters, even feels that the courts have become weak in maintaining secularism. Dr Rajeev Dhawan said, “The Places of Worship Act was completely forgotten in the Gyanvapi case.”

What is the Places of Worship Act?

It was enacted to stabilize the status of religious places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947, and prohibit the conversion of any places of worship and ensure the maintenance of their religious character.

Section 3 of the Places of Worship Act declares that no person shall convert a place of worship of any religious sect into that of a different religious sect or sect. Section 4(1) provides that the religious character of the place of worship will remain the same as it was on 15 August 1947.

The Varanasi court has given its verdict in support of the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi Mosque case. The Varanasi court has given the Hindu side the right to worship in the Vyas basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque. Here the question arises whether this is not a complete violation of the Places of Worship Act by the Varanasi court in the Gyanvapi case? Is this not an attempt to change the character of Gyanvapi Masjid in the Gyanvapi case?

According to the Places of Worship Act, no person shall convert a place of worship of any religious sect into a different religious sect or sect. Section 4(1) provides that the religious character of the place of worship will remain the same as it was on 15 August 1947.

Then why did the Varanasi court give the Hindu side the right to worship in the Vyas basement of the Gyanvapi Mosque? This is a big question that needs to be answered.

Speech by the President of India on the eve of Republic Day, what did President Draupadi Murmu say?

Thursday, January 25, 2024

President of India Draupadi Murmu, in her speech on the eve of Republic Day, said that Republic Day is an important occasion to remember the fundamental values and principles.

The President said these things

Our country is moving towards the century of independence and is passing through the initial phase of Amritkal. This is a period of revolutionary change.

When Parliament passed the historic Women's Reservation Bill, our country moved towards the ideal of gender equality.

I believe that the Nari Shakti Vandan Act will prove to be a revolutionary medium of women empowerment. During this period, India became the first country to land on the south pole region of the Moon.

After Chandrayaan-3, ISRO also started another solar mission. Preparations for the first manned space program Gaganyaan mission are also progressing smoothly.

It has kept us steadfast on the path of social justice to end all forms of discrimination. The successful holding of the G20 Summit in Delhi under India's chairmanship was an unprecedented achievement.

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of witnessing the sacred occasion of consecration of the new, grand temple of Lord Shri Ram. If we look at it from the larger perspective of history, future historians will call it an important sign of the renaissance of Indian civilization.

Our GDP growth rate over the past few years has been among the highest among the world's major economies, and we are confident that this performance will continue through 2024 and beyond.