(GURU PRAKASII)
In his letter of resignation , recaling one of the many state – sponsored atrocities on the Scheduled Castes in East Pakistan Jogendra Nath Mandal , one of the key architects of Pakistan , who served as its first Minister of Law and Labour , observed . ” The armed po- lice came and the local Muslims also joined them . They not only raided some houses of the Namasudras but mercilessly beat both men and women , destroyed their proper- ties and took away valuables . The merciless beating of a pregnant woman resulted in abortion on the spot . This brutal action on the part of the local authority created panic over a large area . ” Subsequent massacres of Dalits in Manchjapi Sundarbans , in 1979 , and in Sandeshkhali in 2024 are an indica- tion of the systemic rot against socially vul- nerable communities in this region . One of the alleged culprits in Sandeshkhali , Shahjahan Sheikh , is also accused of un- leashing violence on women from the SC / ST communities under the patronage of the ruling party in the state . Therefore , the pol- itics of Dalit Muslim unity often ignited by stakeholders for the pursuit of power has no historical resonance . There must be an aca- demic interrogation of the treatment of Dalits and other marginalised sections in the Indian Subcontinent .
The Ministry of Home Affairs ‘ decision to notify the rules for the Citizenship ( Amendment ) Act 2019 must be viewed from a historical perspective . In 1947 , when India was partitioned , the Hindu population in Pakistan was about 24 per cent . Today , it is not even 1 percent . In 1947 , Hindu popu- lation in East Pakistan ( now Bangladesh ) was 30 percent . Today , it is about 7 per cent . Where did they disappear ? The complete absence of any human – rights discourse ( in temational and domestic ) around the perse- cuted minorities of Afghanistan , Pakistan and Bangladesh is appalling . As per a report by the Hindu American Foundation , ” Abduction and forced conversion of Hindu giris is rampant ( Approx 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls in Pakistan are abducted and converted to Islam annually . Between 2004 18 , there were 7,430 reported cases of kid- nappings of Hindu girls in the Sindh province aloue , while the actual number of cases is much higher . ) “
Dalits and tribal communities have fi- nally become a factor in the domestic polit ical narrative for the right reasons but the canvas of politics around them needs a broader discussion . The CAA rules are in tended to provide refuge to the thousands of people who have become stateless aver the decades and have moved from across the border , predominantly owing to Islamic fundamentalismand sectarian violence . In a report by a leading Indian newspaper , it was found that ” of the 5,764 eligible fami- lies that have applied for citizenship . 70 per cent of them are Dalits ” . It is shocking to see the Congress party and its senior lead- ership opposing a law that is a step in the direction of the fulfilment of our constitu tional obligation . Noted thinker on Dalit is- sues and senior advocate Nitin Meshram welcomed the decision on X : ” People from Bengal who elected Babasaheb Ambedkar and sent him to the Constituent Assembly to uplift the marginalised sections will fi nally get the Indian citizenship after wait- ing for almost 75 years . Nothing can be het ter news than this for the Bahujan community in India . “
There are similar examples from Westem democracies like the US and the UK where preferential treatment for citizenship was extended to persecuted minorities . US Senator Frank Lautenberg in 1989-90 led a similar campaign for persecuted minorities in the Soviet Union and Iran . Under this amendment persons from minority com munties such as Christians , Bahais and Jewish people from Iran were given refuge and citizenship eventually , primarily on the ground of being persecuted . The Nationality and Borders Act of the United Kingdom also offered nationality , asylum , and immigra- tion , including to victims of slavery and hu man trafficking Where will the Hindus suf fering from institutional oppression go for protection ? India is a natural home to Hindus , Sikhs , Buddhists , Jains and people following multiple other faiths .
The age of suspended disbelief for Opposition parties is sadly continuing on this affirmative legislation . As a student of law and a researcher , I have yer to finda pro- vision in this Act that disallows a person from the Muslim community to apply for citizenship . On the contrary , anyone who has come to India after the cut – off date is December 2014 , regardless of their faith , will be treated at par . Rahul Gandhi will ask me- diapersons about their caste in an open press conference but will not be mindful of the casteofthepeople belonging to persecuted minorities in Pakistan . This is opposition for the sake of opposition . Lalu Prasad and Akhilesh Yadav will speak about backward communities but will rarely go beyond the political interest of their families Women fromthe Matua Dalit ) community in Bengal were seen celebrating after the notification of the rules by the Ministry of Home Affairs This Act undoes decades of injustice on Dalits from Pakistan and Bangladesh . Nothing can be a more fitting tribute to Savitribai Phule , BRAmbedkar and Jogendra Nath Mandal than to pave the way for agen- uinegar wapsi of people.Itisan emotional moment for the millions of Dalits not only from Afghanistan , Pakistan and Bangladesh butalso across India who are cherishing the recum of their people after an endless wait .
(The writer is assistant professor at Parna University and adviser to the Dalit Indian Chambers of Commerce & industry)