For more than two weeks, demonstrations are taking place in India against a new law on the granting of citizenship. The legislation amends the Constitution and allows the naturalisation of citizens from religious minorities in neighbouring countries, excluding Muslims.

It is stipulated that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan (Muslim-majority countries) may be granted Indian citizenship.

For Muslim organisations and human rights defenders, this text aims to marginalise India's Muslim minority, about 200 million people. The government denies and claims that the text is not discriminatory and offers rights rather than taking it away.

In recent years, cities and streets with Muslim names have been renamed to give them a more "Hindu" appellation. In addition, self-proclaimed Hindu militias have lynched dozens of Muslims and Dalits in the name of defending the sacred cow. The building of the Hindu temple of Ram in Ayodhya, where a mosque has been destructed in 1992, has divided the two communities and has generated bloody riots.
The current movement has even been subjected to violent repression in some areas: 27 people have been killed during these demonstrations.

Demonstrators are therefore also reporting police violence of the last few days, as the wave of protest has now spread throughout the country.

Do you consider this law to be discriminatory to the Muslim community?

What do you think of the Indian government's responses?

Tell us in the comments!

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Toluna Team