PIL in SC supports CAA; seeks action against those spreading rumours

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 24

As several states oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a PIL filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday demanded direction to them to implement the law and take action against those spreading romours and damaging public property.

Requesting the top court to declare the CAA “constitutional”, the PIL filed by Puneet Kaur Dhanda demanded that the top court should ask the Election Commission to take “strict action” against political parties for allegedly spreading rumours about the law resulting into violence.

The protesters were opposing the CAA that relaxed norms for grant of Indian citizenship by naturalization to Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist and Jain and Parsi victims of religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who came to India before December 31, 2014.

The Supreme Court had on December 18 refused to stay the operation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 being opposed by many opposition parties and various groups in various parts of the country even as it agreed to examine its constitutional validity. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde had issued notice to the Centre asking it to respond to around 60 petitions against CAA and posted the matter for hearing on January 22 next year.

Uttar Pradesh witnessed the worst violence which claimed 16 lives and left hundreds, including 263 policemen, injured during the protests against CAA. Violence was also reported from West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala and Delhi.

In the capital, students of Jamia Millia Islamia and locals protested against CAA and some of them torched several buses and police vehicles as they clashed with cops in South Delhi New Friends’ Colony. Police baton-charged the protesters and used teargas shells to disperse the mob and entered the varsity campus, detaining several persons allegedly involved in the violence.

“Issue an appropriate writ or order directing the Respondents (Centre and states) to take stern legal action against those disturbing the peace and harmony,” the PIL filed through advocate Vineet Dhanda submitted.

The Centre and states should be directed to “extensively publicise” about CAA as “it is not against the spirit of constitution of India and in no sense against any citizen of India”.

The PIL also demanded a direction to the Centre to take “strict legal action against those newspaper and media houses spreading false information and rumours”.