Agartala, March 13, 2024: In a scathing critique, Jitendra Chaudhury, the Leader of Opposition in the Tripura Assembly, condemned the Centre’s decision to enforce the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), labeling it as ‘unconstitutional’ and contradictory to the secular ethos of the nation.
Addressing the press on Wednesday, Chaudhury asserted, “The entire nation stands in opposition to the CAA. Despite being passed in 2019, Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have failed to implement it over the past four years. The youth of our country vehemently oppose this legislation as it contradicts the principles enshrined in our Constitution.”
Highlighting the fundamental values of equality enshrined in the Indian Constitution, he emphasized, “Our Constitution guarantees equal rights to all citizens irrespective of religion. However, the CAA discriminates against Muslims by denying them citizenship, thereby undermining the secular fabric of our nation.”
The Union Home Ministry recently announced the implementation rules for the CAA, just days before the Lok Sabha elections schedule was to be announced.
Enacted by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, the CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, who fled from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.