New Delhi: In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court has sought responses from both the Central Government and the Assam government regarding a petition challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. These rules are designed to facilitate and regulate the process of granting Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants who arrived from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014.
The petitioner, Hiren Gohain, a resident of Guwahati, argues that the CAA Rules of 2024 are unconstitutional, discriminatory, and arbitrary, posing a threat to the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Gohain highlights the alarming demographic changes in Assam due to an influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. This issue transcends communal divides and fundamentally concerns the rights of indigenous Assamese people. The plea underscores the urgency of addressing the unchecked surge of migrants to protect the cultural and demographic integrity of Assam.
Despite declining to halt the enforcement of the CAA Rules, the court has directed the Centre to address applications seeking a suspension of their implementation until the petitions challenging the validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 are adjudicated upon. This move indicates the court’s recognition of the gravity of the situation and the need for a thorough examination of the legal and constitutional implications of the CAA.
The contentious nature of the CAA, which has sparked widespread protests across the country, continues to divide public opinion. With the Supreme Court now involved, the legal battle over the citizenship rules is set to intensify as the nation grapples with questions of identity, citizenship, and constitutional rights. The demographic transformation of Assam has raised apprehensions among many Assamese, who fear being reduced to a minority in their land, jeopardizing their language, culture, and identity. The issue remains highly contentious and deeply significant for the entire nation.
