Democratic Youth Federation of India moves SC seeking stay on CAA implementation

DYFI contended that granting citizenship based on the religion of immigrants offends the fundamental principle of secularism, which is enshrined as the basic structure of the Constitution.

The writ petition filed stated that the petitioner has been aggrieved by the enactment of CAA wherein first-time religion is used as a reference point/condition for the acquisition of Indian citizenship for illegal/undocumented migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Such classification based on religion violates Article 14 and Article 21 of the constitution, the petition added further.

CAA has been called "unconstitutional, discriminatory, manifestly arbitrary, unreasonable and irrational," adding to which, the plea requested the apex court "to pass any other or further order or orders which may deem fit or proper under the facts and circumstances of the case."

Earlier in the day, the politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly opposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the notification issued on Monday.

The Politbureau of the CPI(M) said in a statement on Tuesday that the party strongly opposes the notification of the rules under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act [CAA]. The CAA violates the secular principle of citizenship enshrined in the Constitution by linking citizenship to religious identity.

"The rules notified under the Act operationalize this discriminatory approach towards Muslims coming from neighbouring countries. The implementation of the Act is also linked to the creation of a National Register of Citizens, raising apprehensions that citizens of Muslim origin will be targeted," CPI(M) added.

Notably, the CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants--including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians--who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. (ANI)