Readers' Forum
Who is an Indian?
The present government came to power on the basis of votes cast by citizens who were allowed to exercise their franchise on the strength of their voter ID card, or in its absence with a government-issued photo identity such as the passport/PAN/Aadhaar card, etc, provided their name appeared on the electoral roll. Having thus come to power, is it not strange that the government should decree that these very documents are now invalid as proof of one’s citizenship?
Voting rights are normally given only to citizens of the country and not to visitors, tourists, refugees, etc. Passports are issued after due police verification for address proof and criminal antecedents, on the strength of which citizens are entitled to travel out of the country. Similarly, the Aadhaar card has biometric information which presumably is collected after due diligence. Hence, any one of these government-issued documents should be acceptable as proof of citizenship unless the authorities can prove that a document was fraudulently obtained.
In our democracy, it is the people who elect a government and members of parliament take an oath of allegiance to the Constitution, the preamble of which states: "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens: justice, social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.”
Justices T. V. Nalavde and M. G. Sewlikar of the Aurangabad Division Bench of the Bombay High Court, while upholding the "people’s right to protest,” observed that "we are a democratic republic and our Constitution has given us the rule of law and not rule of majority.”
Keeping the preamble in mind, religion has no place in this matter and those who think that only persons of a particular religion are being targeted must realize that members of other religions also may face collateral damage.
It is hoped that the government will take due care to avoid corruption and hardship for the aam aadmi (common man) while enforcing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register.
PHIROZE AMROLIWALLA
phiroze.amroliwalla@gmail.com
Voting rights are normally given only to citizens of the country and not to visitors, tourists, refugees, etc. Passports are issued after due police verification for address proof and criminal antecedents, on the strength of which citizens are entitled to travel out of the country. Similarly, the Aadhaar card has biometric information which presumably is collected after due diligence. Hence, any one of these government-issued documents should be acceptable as proof of citizenship unless the authorities can prove that a document was fraudulently obtained.
In our democracy, it is the people who elect a government and members of parliament take an oath of allegiance to the Constitution, the preamble of which states: "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens: justice, social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.”
Justices T. V. Nalavde and M. G. Sewlikar of the Aurangabad Division Bench of the Bombay High Court, while upholding the "people’s right to protest,” observed that "we are a democratic republic and our Constitution has given us the rule of law and not rule of majority.”
Keeping the preamble in mind, religion has no place in this matter and those who think that only persons of a particular religion are being targeted must realize that members of other religions also may face collateral damage.
It is hoped that the government will take due care to avoid corruption and hardship for the aam aadmi (common man) while enforcing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register.
PHIROZE AMROLIWALLA
phiroze.amroliwalla@gmail.com
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From the archive