Students Collective Rejects the Implementation of CAA and takes stand on Militarization of Campuses

New Delhi- In a unified stance against the recent Gazette notification by the Government of India to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019, the Student Collective, representing leaders from various universities and organizations, has vehemently opposed the move. The collective asserts that the CAA is contrary to the fundamental spirit of the Indian Constitution.

Abdullah Faiz from the Students Islamic Organization (SIO), Prasenjeet Kumar representing the All India Students Association (AISA), Alfauz from the Fraternity Movement, and Pushpendra of the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) have collectively issued a statement condemning recent developments related to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and campus militarization.

According to the collective, granting citizenship based on religious grounds while excluding a major minority, specifically Muslims, undermines the principles of equality, secularism, and inclusivity enshrined in the Constitution. The intertwining of CAA implementation with the National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) raises concerns about stripping citizenship from vulnerable Muslim minorities, a prospect that the collective strongly opposes.

Critics view the timing of the government's declaration as an election gimmick, aimed at polarizing communities and leveraging divisive communal agendas for political gain. They argue that such actions reflect a lack of confidence in the government's developmental agendas, which were ostensibly based on principles of inclusivity and trust-building.

The collective also highlights the disturbing trend of militarization observed on campuses across the nation even before the implementation of CAA. Heavy police and paramilitary presence, along with instances of police intrusion and arbitrary detention of students in institutions like Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Delhi University (DU), have raised alarm bells. The collusion between campus administrations and law enforcement agencies in targeting students is seen as a violation of democratic principles and student rights.

In light of these developments, the Student Collective calls for the immediate intervention of all stakeholders and concerned citizens to prioritize the protection of constitutional values and the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their religion or background. They urge all justice-loving individuals to join them in upholding the secular fabric of the nation and safeguarding the rights and dignity of every individual.