Doesn’t Violate Fundamental Rights: Centre’s Response in SC on CAA

The government’s response comes amid anti-CAA protests across the country over the last few months.

Image from anti-CAA protests outside Gandhi Ashram in Ahmadabad. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@sharik19)

The Centre on Tuesday, 17 March, filed its response in the Supreme Court to pleas challenging the validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, saying that it does not violate any fundamental right and that the question of it violating constitutional morality does not arise.

The Centre, in its 129-page affidavit in response to the pleas, termed the legislation legal, PTI reported.

“The CAA does not impinge upon any existing rights of a citizen. It won’t affect the legal, democratic or secular rights of people,” the Centre told the apex court, according to NDTV.

It also said CAA does not confer any arbitrary and unguided powers on the executive as the citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh would be granted in a manner as specified under the law governing granting of citizenship, the report said.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), one of the petitioners out of over 100 pleas which has challenged the CAA, has said in its plea that the Act violates the fundamental Right to Equality and intends to grant citizenship to a section of illegal immigrants by making an exclusion on the basis of religion.

The affidavit has been filed by B C Joshi, Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs, PTI reported.

The government's response comes amid nationwide protests against the contentious Act over the last few months.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV)