IIT Bombay students hold pro-CAA march, condemn politicization of educational institutes

As opposed to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 in several premier educational institutes, students of IIT-Bombay launched a support march for 'true change and new India' in favour of the CAA on Tuesday, December 24. Almost 130 students from various departments came in support of the CAA, and condemned the violent protests across the country. The students raised three core issues during the support march.

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Welcome religious minorities

Students of the premier institution highlighted that the nation must welcome the persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to India till December 31, 2014, after escaping persecution in the theocratic Muslim states.  

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Stand against violence

The IIT Bombay students also stressed on the need to stand against the violence and politicization of educational campuses by students of Jamia Millia Islamia and the Aligarh Muslim University.On December 15, violent clashes erupted between the Delhi Police and students of Jamia Millia Islamia University after a protest against the amended Citizenship Act. The students of Jamia Millia Islamia University claimed that the police baton-charged them when they were holding a peaceful protest. Protestors had also torched several public buses and police vehicles during the demonstration against the amended Act, leaving six cops and two firemen injured. A similar incident was reported in the Aligarh Muslim University where students, who were protesting against the CAA, started pelting stones at the police personnel as well as destroying public property. 

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Stand against misinformation 

The students highlighted the need to educate people on the Citizenship Amendment Act and strongly condemned the misinformation that is being spread by certain sections of the community. To dispel rumors recently the Centre released a list of FAQs to dispel fears about the combined effect of CAA and the National Register of Citizens. It included 13 questions and answers in total. It has been asserted that no Indian belonging to any religion should worry about the NRC. 

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