Online Desk: Concerns are being raised after a report of an RSS-affiliated group issuing “eligibility certificates” to help the members of Pakistan’s Hindu community to apply for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.
According to The Hindu, SeemajanKalyanSamiti members said that since their group is a registered organisation, they can issue “eligibility certificates” to the immigrants, who came from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The group has helped 330 people from Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jodhpur in Rajasthan to upload their documents to the citizenship portal.
The certificate is a mandatory document to be issued by a locally reputed community institution”. Even, local pujari was also authorised to issue the certificate, which needs to be submitted along with the documents by the applicants.
Rajya Sabha MP and TMC spokesperson SaketGokhale said that it’s very shocking and concerning.
“Now under the CAA, the RSS &SanghParivarget to decide if someone is Hindu or “eligible to be a citizen of India. There have been new sneaky revelations almost every day since the CAA rules were notified and the Act was implemented.Earlier, the Modi Govt said that a certificate from a local priest/pujari can be used as proof of religion,” said Gokhale while slamming Narendra Modi government.
He said that on what grounds has the RSS become an “authority” to decide whether someone is a Hindu or whether someone is “eligible” to be a citizen of India?
“Don’t be surprised if the Modi Govt suddenly decides to make RSS as the sole authority for giving eligibility certificates to people.It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Hindu. This new trend clearly shows that the RSS will slowly become the “authorized organization” to decide whether someone is a Hindu or “eligible to be an Indian Citizen,” said Gokhale.
He further said “This is DANGEROUS considering the “chronology” declared by Amit Shah in 2019 where he said that CAA will be followed by an NRC”
Similarly, Social activist Nirjhari Sinha asked “What is the locus standi of RSS to distribute “eligibility certificates” for citizenship? Call themselves a cultural organisation but always muddle in politics!!”.
The passage of CAA, which excludes Muslim from the citizenship purview, had caused massive protests across the country. The government was accused of coming up with a plan to disenfranchise Muslims through the NRC and the CAA.