When the USSR disintegrated in 1991 marking the end of the feud of two antagonistic blocs- the US and the USSR. There emerged two schools of thought. Francis Fukuyama, an American Political Scientist advanced his theory that there is literally no threat to the United States of America post-cold war through his publication ‘The End of History and the Last Man’ which was an expansion of his earlier publication ‘The End of History?’. Starting from the end of the Cold war till the Twin Tower attack; this era is often considered as the ‘Era of Uncertainty’ for the US Foreign Policy. He further opined that the fall of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe and the disintegration of the USSR has contributed to the triumph of Western Liberal Democracy as the sole Political Ideology and the ultimate form of Government. The other school of thought was led by Samuel P. Huntington, another renowned American Political Scientist who in his famous publication ‘The Clash of Civilizations’ argued that the major sources of all conflicts post-cold war will not be ideological nor between countries but it will be between ‘Cultures’. Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilization’ perfectly represents the development of History. The Cold war period was marked by ideological differences between ‘Democracy’ and ‘Communism’. Both the blocs were engaged in hostile developments each with satellite states under its orbit. The end of the Cold war saw the emergence of many new republics which were considered to be important actors in the World politics to shape and move world history.
Nearly after two decades of Huntington’s publication. Today, we are witnessing the Clash of Cultures in our land. The invasion of our lands by foreign nationals is no longer a myth. The Gujarat Riots of 2002, the Rohingya Crisis, the mass exodus of migrants from the war infested countries of Syria, Iraq and poverty ridden countries of Africa to European countries are all glaring examples of Huntington’s theory.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 which was introduced by the Modi Cabinet in the Lok Sabha on July, 2016 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to provide citizenship to the illegal immigrants belonging to religious groups such as Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi & Christian from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan. The Act however does not include Muslims which raises a serious question regarding the sinister design of the Modi Government to accommodate the Hindus from other countries to India regardless of their origin. As per the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, citizenship can be acquired only through the following means 1.Citizenship by birth 2.Citizenship by descent 3.Citizenship by registration. 4. Citizenship by Naturalization. However, the Bill also seeks to reduce the requirement by a foreigner (not illegal migrant) who is ordinarily resident in India for twelve years (throughout the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of application and for eleven years in the aggregate in the fourteen years preceding the twelve months) to just six years for persons belonging to the same six religions and three countries by Naturalization.
The BJP had earlier in 2014 General Election explicitly stated that (quote) ‘India shall remain a natural home for persecuted Hindus and they shall be welcome to seek refuge here’ (unquote) Page 40 of the BJP Manifesto under the heading ‘Foreign Relations - Nation First, Universal Brotherhood’. The BJP is making use of all possible means at its disposal to fulfill this promise without any regard to the other developmental promises it made. It raises qualm over the Hindu fringe elements and Right Wing Organizations aspirations to make India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. And the fact that the BJP is openly aiding these elements makes the people more apprehensive of the BJP government. The BJP is basically trying to grant Citizenship to the illegal Hindu majority by making the other five religious minorities as scapegoats.
The National Register of Citizens (NRC), Assam which was prepared in 1951 contains the names of Indian Citizens of Assam. The NRC is being updated in Assam to detect the illegal Bangladeshis who have entered the state after the midnight of March, 24, 1971. It seeks to deport anyone who has entered the state illegally after March 24, 1971. Now, the difference between the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 and the NRC is that while the NRC seeks to deport anyone irrespective of religion who has entered the state illegally after the stipulated time. The Citizenship Amendment Bill will ensure to grant citizenship to the Hindus and the other five religious groups without any condition. The Act also sharply contradicts the Foreigner Act, 1946. An immigrant is an immigrant regardless of whichever religion they belong and the BJP should not misuse the mandate the people gave them.
Very often, we take the example of how Tripura’s indigenous people have become a minority in their own land. But surprisingly, as per the statistics available, 83.40 % of Tripura’s population are Hindus while Muslims comprise only 8.60% of the total population of Tripura which clearly indicates that the illegal immigrants in Tripura are mostly Bangladeshi Hindus! Now, drawing a comparison of what Huntington said and the events unfolding today. A huge catastrophe is imminent anytime soon.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill will be considered as a treacherous and an evil bill after the AFSPA (often described as the Draconian law) which was forcefully enacted in the most of the North-Eastern regions much against the wishes of the people. The Act came in to force on 1958 and it literally gives the army the power to arrest any person without arrest warrant. The people of these regions have had a harrowing experience all the while. There has been a perpetual war in Nagaland starting from the early 1950’s. Innocent villagers were grouped together similar to that of the concentration camps of the Nazis where forced labour and inhumane treatments were meted out to the villagers. Villages and paddy fields were razed to the ground. Women and young girls were brutally raped by the security forces. While starvation was a common sight, many perished due to hunger and brutal harassment of the security forces. The very memories of those gory incidents narrated by the victims send a chill down the spine. Even after the ceasefire, indiscriminate raids at civilian houses were carried out frequently. Vehicles were frisked at odd hours and innocent citizens manhandled and rebuked at for not being able to understand Hindi! Many people have been shot or killed on mere suspicion. It will be practically impossible to list all the details and events through this short column. There has been hue and cry from all corners to revoke this Act but it has always fallen on deaf ears. The Iron lady of Manipur Iron Sharmila fasted for 16 years for the revocation of this act but it proved futile. And while the people suffer in silence, they continue with their atrocities under the garb of AFSPA.
The Nagaland Cabinet in its last meeting resolved to oppose any amendment to the Citizenship Act of 1955 if the proposed amendment goes against the interests of the Nagas. While it is heartening to hear this. It would be even more applaudable if the Nagaland Government becomes the first State to oppose this bill since it is neither in the interest of the Nagas nor the rest of the Indians except the BJP and the Right Wing Hindu Organizations.
Will the State Government abort this evil baby or will it want to cut the umbilical cord together with the Centre? That I leave for the Government and the people to decide. All I can say is the people have suffered enough!
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