500 signatures reached
To: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (or House of Representatives)
New Zealanders Against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019
Condemn India's 'Citizenship Amendment Act'
We ask the New Zealand government to speak out and condemn the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which violates human rights and discriminates based on religion.
Why is this important?
India is a land of diversity and pluralism. Of different cultures and religious practices embedded over centuries of existence. India has always welcomed and embraced new people, offering them a home and a space to be free. Multiple invasions and a long imperial rule did not dent her spirit or her soul. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar reflected this deep feeling when he wrote the Constitution of India that came into force in 1950. It clearly outlines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular republic that will secure for all citizens justice, liberty and equality.
Earlier last month, the government in power officially approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) now the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) The new law could give Indian citizenship to immigrants from three neighbouring countries – unless they are Muslim. The CAA cannot be seen in isolation from the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which the ruling party seeks to implement nationwide. Once excluded from CAA, should any Muslims become excluded from the NRC due to lack of proper documentation, they are condemned to extreme uncertainties and insecurities, thereby making their already de facto secondary-citizen status into a status of de jure non-citizenship or statelessness.
In response there have been anti-CAA protests across nine states, including in major cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and the capital New Delhi, mostly around university campuses. These have turned deadly, with police using brute force, tear gas and lathi charge against peaceful protestors resulting in multiple injuries and deaths.
All New Zealanders, Indians of the diaspora and those of Indian origin who believe in India as a secular, democratic republic should stand against this Act, against police brutality and in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in India.
Sign this petition and join the resistance against a fascist India.
We urgently call on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her government to publicly condemn this human rights violation.