1,047 scientists, scholars write open letter asking for CAB withdrawal - Times of India, The Times of India

Anam Ajmal| TNN | Updated: Dec (************************************, (********************************, 4: IST

Woman carries a child as she participates in a torch light procession to protest against the Citizenship Amend …Read More

NEW DELHI: 1, 047 scholars and scholars from India and abroad have signed an open letter condemning the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) on Monday, while also asking for its “immediate withdrawal.”The signatories include directors of major research institutions: Rajesh Gopakumar of International Center for Theoretical Sciences, Sandip Trivedi of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research,Ramon Magsaysay AwardrecipientSandeep Pandeyand SS Bhatnagar awardeeAtish Dabholkar. Some other signatories areRukmini Bhaya Nair,Zoya Hasan,Harbans Mukhia.

“The idea of India that emerged from the independence movement, and as enshrined In our constitution, is that of a country that aspires to treat people of all faiths equally. The use of religion as a criterion … would be inconsistent with the basic structure of the constitution. We fear, in particular, that the careful exclusion of Muslims from the ambit of the bill will greatly strain the pluralistic fabric of the country, ”reads the letter.Citing the provisions in the constitution, the signatories state, “We note that article of the Indian constitution prohibits the State from denying to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. While it is the job of legal experts to determine whether this draft bill violates the letter of the constitution, it seems certain to us that it violates its spirit. ”
The letter ends with an appeal to withdraw the bill in its current form. “We call for the immediate withdrawal of this bill and as its replacement, request for appropriate legislation that will address the concerns of refugees and minorities in a non-discriminatory manner,” it concludes.