09, Dec 2019 | Special Correspondent

Kerala: The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are against the principles of Indian Constitution, human rights activist Teesta Setalvad has said.

Addressing a conference on ‘Independence of Plurality’ organised by the Secular Forum on the eve of International Human Rights Day here on Monday, she said the Bill would discriminate people and create divide among them. The RSS/BJP had been ruling on policies of intimidation and fear. But it was time to break the silence. She called upon the LDF government to pass resolution against the CAB-NRC. The West Bengal had already done it, Ms. Setalvad noted.

“It is against the secular and pluralist principles of our Constitution. The Bill will make the Muslims second class citizens,” Ms. Setalvad said. The agenda of the RSS, which was controlling the BJP government, was to intimidate people, she added.

Political moves

In the past six years, there were clear political moves to redefine the constitutional principles. First with the CAB and second through a hurried All India level National Register of Citizens (NRC), she said. Ms. Setalvad said that understanding the Assam experience of the NRC was essential when the government planned to implement a pan-India version of Assam’s NRC.

The original article may be read here.