(L-R) Rohini Mohan, Usha Ramananthan, Justice (retd.) AP Shah and N Ram
Justice (retd.) AP Shah was speaking at a discussion on the CAA-NRC-NPR at an event held on Monday evening.
A public discussion on the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) saw former Chief Justice of the Madras and Delhi High Courts, Justice (retd.) AP Shah critique the amendment as plainly unconstitutional, apart from being morally reprehensible.
While speaking on its possible nexus with the exercises of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR), Justice Shah also said,
“This combination of CAA-NRC is designed to deprive Muslims of equal rights under Indian law and Indian society. It uses seemingly legitimate tools of law, policy to sanction discrimination…This is the use of seemingly benign law to create a divide in the society.”
He added,
“The one time in recent history that legally sanctioned discrimination existed was in Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy; both fascist regimes, centred on deeply disturbing ideologies and indefensible moral values.”
Justice (retd.) AP Shah
Justice Shah was speaking at an event held on Monday evening, which also featured talks by N Ram, Chairman of The Hindu publishing group; legal scholar, Usha Ramanathan and journalist, Rohini Mohan. The theme of the discussion was CAA-NRC-NPR.
The event commenced with N Ram speaking on popular protests against the CAA 2019, and the possible drivers motivating the movement.
A direct challenge to a communal, authoritarian government: N Ram
In his address, N Ram opined that one issue that has catalysed the protests was the State repression that preceded the CAA and which has continued since.
“Young people feel suffocated … they want to breathe the fresh air of democracy. They want to enjoy fundamental rights ... This, I think, is very important and inspiring.”
N Ram
