Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind termed union home minister Amit Shah’s statement that people of five religions (minus Muslim) will be given Indian nationality by amending the Citizenship Act, as “violation of the basic principle of Indian constitution”.
“The home minister’s statement is against Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution which states that no citizen will be discriminated on the basis of his religion, region and language,” said Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Syed Arsad Madani.
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Coming down heavily on Amit Shah, Madani said, “His (Amit Shah’s) statement smacks of religious prejudice and reflects that only Muslims are on the target of any NRC exercise.”
“Jamiat has condemned the home minister’s statement and termed it as a part of BJP’s politics of polarization,” said Madani.
Home minister Shah earlier reiterated that Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian refugees will be given Indian nationality by amending the Citizenship Act.
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“Jamiat also said the home minister’s argument that Hindus have only one country while Muslims have many is not based on facts,” said Madani.
“We would like to inform him (Amit Shah) that Europe, USA and Africa as well as many other gulf nations offer citizenship without any discrimination on the basis of one’s religion,” Madani said.
The Jamiat president, however, welcomed Supreme Court’s verdict over the NRC.
“We respect the SC’s verdict. Out of the 48 lakh people excluded from the final NRC, 32 lakhs were from the Hindu community and the rest were from the Muslim community,” he said.
Madani said these while speaking to reporters in the national capital on Wednesday.
“We appeal for peace and communal harmony ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict on Ayodhya,” he further said.