Thread by @barandbench

Public discussion on CAA, 2019-NRC-NPR to begin shortly at the Music Academy, Chennai.

Justice (Retd) AP Shah, N Ram, Chairman of The Hindu Publishing Group, Legal Scholar, Usha Ramanathan and Rohini Mohan, Journalist to speak at the event.

@nramind : I don't think we need to exaggerate this movement (referring to Anti-CAA demonstrations).... against this unjust and indeed an outrageous piece of legislation...

#CAA_NRC_NPR #CAA #CAA2019

There is no question that the students have come to the fore in this movement, says @nramind

#CAA_NRC_NPR #CAA_NRCProtests #CAA_NRC_Protests

@nramind talks about the "repression" that preceded the enactment of the CAA and which followed after.

Referring to violence in Jamia and JNU campuses, he says there is no indication that justice will be done.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #JamiaProtests #JNUViolence

@nramind : One of the drivers behind this unprecedented upsurge (against CAA, 2019) - which is only partly organised and mostly spontaneous - it is a protest against repression. They want to breathe democracy... This I think is very important and inspiring.

#CAA_NRC_NPR

This is Hindutva agenda being delivered...Hindutva directly challenges the principles of secularism, says @nram

#CAA_NRC_NPR

@nramind : "We don't know what the courts are going to do... "

N Ram goes on to remark that SC refused to give any meaningful direction to undo the mischief done in the case concerning the internet shutdown in Kashmir.

#CAA_NRC_NPR

@nramind refers to writing by @gautambhatia88 on how "rights court" has now been converted into "executive court" during CJI Gogoi's tenure, N Ram

#CAA_NRC_NPR

@nramind clarifies that he is not attributing any motive to SC; he adds that he is also referring to various institutions apart from courts as well including bureaucracy, universities etc.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

We haven't quite put a finger on what prompted the people to move.. (but for) the first time there's a direct challenge to government that is not only communal, but also authoritarian, says @nramind

#CitizenshipAct #CitizenshipAmendmentAct

The real india we live in today is the complete opposite of the homogenous imaginary india , of hindutva or homogenous identity envisioned by Sarvarkar, says Justice (retd.) AP Shah says amidst his speech on the CAA, 2019.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

Idea of Hindu Rashra was unanimously rejected by constituent assembly. But unfortunately the the present government is determined to bring it out, says Justice (retd.) Shah.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

It (CAA, 2019) uses seemingly legitimate tools... The one time in legal history when such legally sanctioned discrimination existed was in Hitler's Germany and Italy's Mussolini, says Justice (retd.) AP Shah.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #CAA_NRC_NPR

Justice (retd.) Shah speaks of how CAA-NRC is not only against reality of India we live in, but also on completely unstable grounds.

Referring to Assam NRC exercise, Shah J. says that Rs 1,600 crores was spent over a 5 year period, but many people were excluded

#CAA_NRC_NPR

"Most of the eexcluded persons were Hindus. There was tremendous hardship caused to people", Justice (retd.) Shah.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #CAA_NRC_NPR

Regarding the Foreigners Tribunal proceedings following the NRC exercise in Assam, Shah J. remarks that the proceedings were so arbitrary; notices rarely served.

It all depends on your luck. Those who are affected are the poorest and the marginalised, Shah J.

#CAA_NRC_NPR

Justice (retd.) Shah speaks of how the state is repressing citizens.
Referring to UP CM Yogi Adityanath's comment that he will take "badla" (revenge) to the press.

"Can you imagine that a CM is declaring a war on his own people? ", Shah J.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

Justice (retd.) Shah speaks about how the govt is labelling people anti-national.

This is a way of othering people every day. They are searching for new enemies every day. The leadership forgets that it is their duty to govern rather than look for political gains, Shah J.

Look at the language used by the Home Minister. What is this tukde tukde gang? He is talking about our own students. This is not how democracies work. You cannot label protestors as anti national, Justice (retd.) Shah.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #CAA_NRC_Protests

On the Supreme Court's response Justice (retd.) AP Shah says that he is worried is about prioritisation.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

"The court is completely unmindful of what is happening in this country... Not saying Sabarimala is not important issue. But is it a burning issue today? It is troubling that court has no time for the issues that affecting millions of people", Justice (retd.) Shah.

Legal scholar Usha Ramanathan traces the history of the Citizenship Act, the NRC exercise in Assam etc. including through how SC played a role.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

Usha Ramanathan speaks of how the CAA could affect generations of people.

"There are many people who are complacent because they don't think it will affect them, but if they were to read the CAA they will find that they can't be as sanguine as that."

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

Regarding possibility of NPR, Usha Ramanathan speaks also about how the Registrar General of India was Registrar General for UID (when Aadhaar was brought in) , and information was being compiled then.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

"What about the rest of the NPR that has been going on?", Usha Ramanathan queries referring to statements that there would be no National Population Register (NPR).

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct
#CAA_NRC

The government represents us ... The state owes us an obligation and a responsibility, not us them, says Usha Ramanathan.

Our job becomes to tell that government is wrong and that we are not going to be a part of it, Ramanathan.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct

Before concluding speech Usha Ramanathan says: Biometrics is a sham.

To cite an eg. , Ramanathan refers to the "one nation, one ration" pogram by the UIDAI. Ramanathan says govt has informed that for some people the biometrics will not work and they would require a nominee.

There have been (repeated) admissions that biometrics don't work. Usha Ramanathan says.

(The aim) is control over deciding whether we are citizens or not continues to be with the state. We will never be free of it.. The larger politics is clear, Usha Ramanathan.

#CAA_NRC

Journalist, Rohini Mohan speaking on her ground reports from Assam in the context of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #CAA_NRC

The NRC was thought to be the one procedure to end all procedures. It was widely accepted in Assam as a bloodless process, entirely technical - when it started in 2003, Rohini Mohan.

Mohan goes on to detail the procedure to prove citizenship through NRC in Assam

#NRC #CAA_NRC

Rohini Mohan talks of two sets of documents to be submitted for NRC.

First one had to show List A documents to prove some ancestor lived in India prior to 1971 (with riders, this is not enough adds Mohan).

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #NRC

The second set of documents is where the massive chaos comes in, Rohini Mohan

Thia "List B" documents should establish linkage to the ancestor who resided in India pre-1971 (legacy person).

#NRC #CitizenshipAmendmentAct

It could go wrong in a million ways, and it did, says Rohini Mohan referring to this documentation procedure for NRC in Assam. She talks of examples she encountered in Assam.

#NRC #CitizenshipAmendmentAct

On the extent of exclusion from NRC in Assam - Army persons, academicians, children below ten years, villages were excluded from the NRC, says Rohini Mohan.

"There were twins that I know of, one of whom made it, and the other didn't", Mohan.

#NRC #CitizenshipAmendmentAct

NRC is not a clean process, it is tainted by all the other processes that happened before (including proceedings before foreigners tribunal), Rohini Mohan.

Mohan speaks of one family who didn't make it to the NRC because a sibling was facing foreigners tribunal proceedings.

Rohini Mohan informs that she filed RTIs for six month's worth of foreigners tribunals. RTIs were filed for judgments from 100 tribunals. Many RTIs were rejected because no one was sure who was in charge of the documents.

#NRC #CitizenshipAmendmentAct

Of the foreigners tribunal judgments analysed, Rohini Mohan says she found:

- In 82℅ cases, accused were declared foreigners
- 89% cases involved Muslims
- 9/10 Muslims declared foreigners
- 4/10 Hindus declared foreigners
- 78% declared foreigners without accused being heard

BJP govt has trashed Assam NRC. Odd that same govt wants the NRC nationwide, Rohini Mohan.

Speeches by speakers conclude. Q&A session follows.

#CitizenshipAmendmentAct #citizenshipamendmentact2019

Responding to one of the questions posed by an audience member, Justice (retd.) Shah opines that the problem with CAA, 2019 could be resolved if religion is removed from the equation.

"Just remove the religion from this ..Thats all. You need not mention any religion (in CAA). "