New Delhi: With several areas of Northeast Delhi witnessing large scale violence over the controversial amendment to the country's citizenship law leading to over a dozen deaths during the past three days, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid Alam Khan accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of "turning a blind eye" to the concerns of those opposing CAA and "bulldozing" the law.
Talking to senior journalist Amit Agnihotri, the veteran politician and lawyer spoke about the ramifications of the Citizenship Amendment Act on the social fabric of the country, the Congress party's stand on it, the Centre's failure to address the concerns of those opposing CAA, and the unique nature of the anti-CAA protests while comparing it to the Mahatma Gandhi-led 'Satyagraha'.
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: Delhi violence have erupted between those who are protesting the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed NRC and those who support the law. What is your assessment of the situation?
A: I think it is a very sad thing. The government has taken a decision which we as lawyers are convinced is completely unsustainable. It has no legitimate purpose. But the courts have to decide on that issue and the matter is pending before the court. If the court would have taken it up urgently this disquiet would not have happened. The government is acting in a thoroughly irresponsible way. There is substantial disagreement among people. A responsible government has to try to accommodate these concerns in the manner of having a dialogue to find out if there is some legitimacy in the concerns. This government is just bulldozing everything. They did in the Parliament where they have brute majority. But to actually push it in the country when there is evidence of a great deal of doubt about its legitimacy, it is sad the government is turning a blind eye.
Q: But there were complaints from a section of citizens that the anti-CAA protesters are blocking roads and causing inconvenience to them. The Supreme Court, too, has intervened in the matter...
A: There was an issue of inconvenience to some when there are sit-ins at important road junctions. But what we have seen in the past few days is complete mayhem caused by people who are trying to make a point that they support the government. You can support the government, but doing so by pulling out weapons and causing mayhem and causing widespread destruction through fire and other means of destruction of property is completely unacceptable.
Q: Are these clashes sponsored?
A: May be. The anti-CAA protests are remarkable in their spontaneity. There is no leader and political parties present. I have never seen this kind of grassroots protest. I call them family protests. Students come there and classes are being held. I have never seen something like this. I have interacted with people outside Delhi. It is complete resonance of what is happening in Delhi.
Q: The Congress has strongly opposed the CAA and several opposition governments in some states have passed resolutions against it. What is the correct legal position?
A: There are two dimensions to this: one is the legal aspect and I would like the courts to decide this. On the other side, sounding off and saying something that may hurt the movement. It is best not to discuss it publicly. But there is an element in this movement which has to do with civil disobedience, with Satyagraha of Gandhiji and methodology of Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan. There is lot of literature on civil disobedience but it is largely relating to an individual against state apparatus. But I have not come across literature that is very clear on civil disobedience by constituted governments or by elected representatives. Because of our federal structure, I think there is an element of civil disobedience here which may be well legitimate and certainly has an important moral bearing on the decisions and hopefully the Supreme Court will look at these decisions.
Q: How will the Congress fight against the CAA nationally?
A: The Congress party has taken a very sensible position against the CAA and raised its voice against police brutality against those protesting the citizenship law. Our leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra approached the National Human Rights Commission against the police brutalities. We will support the people in whatever way we can. We have asked our state units to protest against the law.
Q: Do you feel the CAA and the proposed NRC are part of a hidden agenda of the ruling BJP to target the minorities?
A: I think right now it is very refreshing that people across communities are reacting to CAA. People from Dalit movements are coming, Sikhs are coming forward and enlightened sections of Hindu middle class are coming against it. They have lent a kind of inclusive voice to the anti-CAA protests and we should keep it like that. The government would be very happy to say this is only some Muslims protesting because they are concerned. I think it is the basic fundamental of constitutional governance that people are protesting. They are not protesting what they fear for themselves but what they desire for the country.
Q: Union home minister Amit Shah did try to raise the anti-CAA protests at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh in the local assembly polls recently. But that did not work. Your comments...
A: We should not fall into the trap of Mr Modi or Amit Shah and just ignore such comments. This is a remarkable campaign for the Constitution.
Q: The Congress seems to be grappling over leadership issue. Would the party rise to the occasion?
A: Yes, the fact that we are out of power after giving two successive terms is a cause of concern. But we will rebound. I am confident about that. You will see that happen soon. The state of the country is such that the Congress can’t remain cloistered somewhere. We will all be out soon. As for the leadership issue, Sonia Gandhi is our party president. Then we have Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and a host of other leaders. That is an internal matter and should be left to us to decide.
