Team Herald
PANJIM: Days after the Archbishop of Goa demanded withdrawal of CAA, NPR and NRC, the Peoples Forum for Justice, Secularism, and Democracy (PFJSD) has expressed shock over the Goa Legislative Assembly passing a resolution to congratulate Central government for CAA.
In a letter dashed off to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, PFJSD says, “We write to you as the newly ‘Peoples Forum for Justice, Secularism, and Democracy” which currently includes Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization – Goa Unit (NCHRO), Concerned Citizens for Goa (CCG).”
The letter says, “We were shocked to read that your government had passed a resolution of congratulations to the Central Government for having passed the Citizenship Amendment Act. Moreover, you seem to have completely ignored the voice and aspiration of the people who have rejected CAA-NRC-NPR in its totality as they are measures which violate the Constitution of India.”
PJFSD has drawn the CM’s attention to the several State assemblies who have approved resolutions rejecting CAA, and other State governments have vowed not to implement these anti-people measures.
“…(Y)our government has gone against the will of the people and, thus, damaged the integrity of people’s wishes and hopes. We condemn this move in unequivocal terms,” the letter says.
“At several Public meetings, community-based meetings, and corner meetings attended by people in many thousands, the people of Goa have rejected CAA-NRC-NPR in no uncertain terms. To disregard what the people aspire to is to disregard democracy,” the letter reads.
It says that at a recent public rally on January 24, we the people, rejected what the BJP government at the centre had passed in Parliament.
“The CAA was violative of the Constitution while NRC and NPR were discriminatory. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the government’s intention to implement a National Register of Citizens (NRC) are literally shaking the foundations of India’s existence as a pluralistic, multi-faith society where all citizens are supposed to be equal before the law. In the long term, the three, in combination, would affect minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, but also Dalits, Tribals, OBCs, and the economically marginalized. We demanded its withdrawal and your government, instead, endorsed it. Our demand stands firm even today,” the letter reads.
PJFSD says the amended Citizenship law would undermine the commitment to equality before the law enshrined in India’s constitution.
“It would obstruct India’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, to which Indian is a State party, which prohibit discrimination based on racial, ethnic or religious grounds,” it said.
The organisation says the Goa Assembly should have been protecting the people’s rights rather than surrendering them to the whims and fancies of the Centre where leaders are devoid of secular values and notions of justice for the poor and marginalized.
“We are entitled to demand accountability to the people not central rulers. The people have noted with anguish and deep disappointment how your party and government have persistently ignored democratic norms and peoples aspirations,” says the letter signed by Fr Savio Fernandes (CSJP), Sameer Shaikh (CCG) and Ranjan Solomon (NCHRO-Goa).
