Bareilly: Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi, president of All India Muslim Jamaat based in Bareilly, has stated that Indian Muslims have no reason to be afraid of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), IANS reported.
This declaration follows the recent announcement by government agencies that the rules for the CAA, passed in 2019, will be notified before the Lok Sabha elections.
Mufti Razvi emphasised that, after a thorough analysis of the Act’s provisions, it was concluded that the law does not impact Indian Muslims and will instead benefit immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh seeking Indian citizenship.
Responding to the remarks made by Samajwadi Party MP Shafiq-Ur-Rehman Barq, who expressed concern about the application of CAA in the state, Razvi accused Barq of attempting to frighten and mislead the community.
He urged Barq to read and understand the law before making alarming statements, criticising the MP for not portraying himself in a positive light.
Razvi argued that while the law may not promote love, it could potentially fuel hatred, emphasising the importance of love in running the country. He predicted a deterioration in the situation in the coming days.
The introduction of the CAA in 2019 sparked widespread protests across several cities in India, resulting in numerous deaths.
Initially starting in Assam on December 4, 2019, the protests spread to major cities, including Delhi. By the end of December, there were 27 reported deaths, with 22 occurring in Uttar Pradesh alone. The protests led to over a thousand arrests and more than 300 cases being registered against the demonstrators.
Reports suggest that the rules for CAA are now prepared, and an online portal is in place, enabling applicants to apply from their mobile phones as well.
