March 29, 2024 16:46 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
PM Modi to kickstart BJP's Lok Sabha poll campaign from Meerut | Kangana Ranaut in Mandi: 'Don't think I am a heroine, consider me as your sister and daughter' | Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav demand high-level probe into Mukhtar Ansari's death | PM Modi has mastered art of manipulating democracy, hurting Constitution: Mallikarjun Kharge | Mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest at 63
Muslims are as much part of India as any other citizen: MJ Akbar speaks in favour of CAA at UN meet

Muslims are as much part of India as any other citizen: MJ Akbar speaks in favour of CAA at UN meet

India Blooms News Service | @indiablooms | 29 Feb 2020, 07:19 pm

Geneva/IBNS: Parliamentarian (Rajya Sabha member) and BJP leader MJ Akbar has strongly defended the amended Citizenship Act in a discussion between Indian and European Parliamentarians on the sidelines of the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHCR) here.

The veteran journalist said India’s most important characteristic is its plurality and the Constitution of India gives equal rights to everyone irrespective of its religion, and Muslims are as much part of India as any other citizen from any other religion, according to media reports.

Chief Imam of India Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Journalist Atika Ahmed Farooqui, Executive Director of South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) Paulo Casaca and Member of European Parliament Fulvio Martusciello were in the discussion panel among others.

Taking a jibe at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, Akbar said one tends to make "rhetorical points" when in opposition and Tharoor was far away from reality.

“Hindus and Muslims are one. God created them and no one can separate them,” Akbar quoted Mahatma Gandhi while concluding his speech.

Fulvio Martusciello stressed on the brotherhood and peace among the people of all the religions in India and clarified that the CAA does not have any provisions that include the citizens of India and instead provides several rights, including educational and voting rights to the minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan living as refugees in India due to religious persecution in their own countries.

According to a Zee News report, Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, the Chief Imam of All India Imam Organisation, said, "India has the second-largest number of Muslims in the world and provides equal citizenship for everyone, India is a secular democracy."

He slammed Pakistan saying Indian Muslims were safer than anywhere in the world and it should stop interfering in the internal matters of India. Stating that citizenship in India is not restricted to any religion, he pointed out that any Muslim, who is not a citizen of India, can apply for Indian citizenship provided
they fulfill the provisions of the Citizenship Act of 1955.

Journalist Atika Farooqui, who covers minority issues in India, said the CAA has no provisions of taking away the citizenship of any Indian by any means.

“We, Indians, are just curious and hardworking people with Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Hindu sounding names," the Zee report quoted her as saying.

Paulo Casaca, Executive Director of South Asia Democratic Forum and Former Member of European Parliament pointed out the role played by the European Parliament in facilitating the false campaign against the CAA. He asked the European Union to first improve the condition of the refugees living along its borders and stop interfering in the internal matters of India.

European Commission member Brian Toll, who is also an expert on South Asia, said India is the only country that has embraced the people of all religions and culture and absorbed their ethos in its plurality. People of all caste, creed and religion are offered equal opportunities in India.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
PM Modi in Bhutan 22 Mar 2024, 06:53 pm
PM Modi in Tamil Nadu 28 Feb 2024, 07:07 pm