Sitaram Yechury questions PM Modi's 'obsession with Pakistan', calls CAA 'discriminatory'

CPI-M General Secretary on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Taking to Twitter, Yechury wrote that the Act is about India and not Pakistan. He added that the PM keeps invoking Pakistan and questioned his "obession" with Pakistan. "Introducing religion-based discrimination into citizenship is against the Indian Constitution," Yechury stated. Yechury in another tweet, attached a video of Home Minister Amit Shah speaking about the CAA and NRC and asked PM Modi to "hear his Home Minister more often". 

CPI-M to file petition challenging CAA

Leaders of opposition parties came together on Monday to address a press conference at the Constitution Club in Delhi following the clashes between the students and the police in the Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday. General Secretary of CPI Sitaram Yechury condemned the police action against students during which many students were injured as police barged into the Jamia campus and resorted to lathi-charge and firing teargas shells. He also said that his party is going to file a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Speaking at a press conference, Yechury said, "CPI-M is filing a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. It will be done maybe today. It's all ready. The basic point is that the Act is anti-Constitution. It violates the Assam Acord. The amendments made in this Act consequent to the Assam Accord are violated by this Act." 

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Nationwide protests were held on Monday after a police crackdown on students at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia university, who have also been protesting the new law. That happened after ugly scenes unfolded near the campus. Buses and police vehicles were torched -- but Jamia students said they were not involved. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been protested with particular bitterness in the Northeast, where it is seen as a threat to indigeneity. The government has denied that its policy is anti-Muslim and has promised to protect the rights of locals in the Northeast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally appealed for calm both after Sunday's violence in Delhi and during the protests in the Northeast.

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