Citizenship law: Protests intensify as India refuses to show flexibility

[ahlam1399]

NEW DELHI: Police fired shots in the air as thousands of protesters took to the streets on Tuesday in the latest clashes in the Indian capital over a new law that makes it easier for non-Muslims from neighbouring countries to gain citizenship.Nationwide opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act -- which offers a path to Indian citizenship for religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan -- has grown since last week, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government appears to have dugin its heels, international media reported.“Both my government and I are firm like a rock that we will not budge or go back on the citizenship protests,” Home Minister Amit Shah told the Times Network, which runs TV channels, in an interview.But critics say the law weakens India’s secular foundations since it does notapply to Muslims, who have been coming out on to the streets in increasing numbers against the legislation.In Delhi’s Seelampur area, police fired shots in the air and lobbed more than 60 rounds of tear gas to beat back thousands of people protesting against the new law.Police officer Rajendra Prasad Meena said the demonstration spiralled out of control after some protesters started throwing stones at policemen who were holding them at a barricade.“Then the situation worsened and we had to fire tear gas,” he said, adding that police fired rounds in the air once to push back the violent mob.An official at the nearby Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital said it had received around 10 people, including policemen, with injuries sustained during the protest. Most were discharged, and two referred elsewhere.Cars were damaged and a wide road strewn with rocks while two motorbikes were set on fire, sending thick smoke into the air.Groups of youths, some with their faces covered, threw bricks, stones and bottles at police, who retaliated with tear gas and baton charges.Sahil, a protestor who gave only one name, said the new law had to be withdrawn. “It is against the constitution,” he said, holding up a hand-written poster as the large crowd began dispersing.Mohammad Daud, the imam of a local mosque who helped calm the confrontation, said it began as a protest against the new citizenship law.“We should protest against it, and we will protest against it. Neither is this a fight against the police, or a Hindu-Muslim issue. We only have a problem with the government,” Daud said.There have been growing questions about the stance of the government, led by Modi’s Hindu-nationalist party, toward India’s 172 million Muslims, who make up 14% of the population.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan said India’s actions in Kashmir and on the citizenship law could drive Muslims from India and create a refugee crisis.“We are worried there not only could be a refugee crisis, we are worried it could lead to a conflict between two nuclear-armed countries,” Imran Khan told a Global Forum on Refugees in Geneva.The prime minister said Pakistan had hosted millions of Afghan refugees in the last 40 years and still it had a total of about 3 million refugees on its soil.The prime minster also underlined the issues which the countries like Pakistan had to face in hosting a huge chunk of refugees and said the countries which had no resources with challenges to look after their population and meet their basic needs, had to spend funds on the human development, might be crippled with the refugees’ issue.The prime minister said rich countries could not imagine the impacts of such crises, though the European countries for the first time, had started realising it in the shape of migrants’ influx."I am very proud of my people, the way, they hosted the refugees and the hospitality they extended in the last 40 years,” he observed.Imran Khan said systematic efforts were being made to change the demography of IOK. “We know from our past experience that prevention is better than cure. If the world puts pressure on India, we can prevent it, but once the crisis starts, we all know, it is complicated and difficult,” he added.The world must take notice of what was happening there, he said, alluding to dangers of one of the biggest impending refugee crisis about to take place in India. “I will appeal to the world community that it is the time to act,” he reiterated.The prime minister also highlighted Pakistan’s continuous efforts for the peace process in the war-torn neighbouring country, Afghanistan, and said the only solution to the issue was a political settlement.The prime minister also lauded the Turkish government and its people for hosting the huge refugee population. He also appreciated the UN secretary general for his strong advocacy for the issues of refugees and thanked the world bodies and the Government of Switzerland for co-hosting the event.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/hoU9aPzdUNM

أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/com/cwEr/~3/hoU9aPzdUNM/585153-citizenship-law-protests-intensify-as-india-refuses-to-show-flexibility)