Supreme Court upholds the constitutional validity of Section 6A
The cultural rights of the state will not be affected by the presence of other communities: Supreme Court
The historic decision of the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench is a victory for justice: Maulana Arshad Madani
New Delhi.The President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, who is currently in Uzbekistan attending an international conference, expressed his satisfaction with this decision. He stated that we welcome the court’s decision, as the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench has provided a very appropriate and accurate interpretation of Section 6A in light of the Constitution.
He stated that the fears and apprehensions surrounding citizenship in Assam have largely dissipated due to this decision by the constitutional bench. This ruling will benefit every individual living in society. Maulana Madani emphasized that in this era of hate and prejudice, there are those who incite religious extremism and sow the seeds of hatred by raising such issues.
This decision by the constitutional bench indicates that there are still those who pour water on the flames of discord. Maulana Madani also stated that the current Assam government is openly pursuing an anti-Muslim agenda. They have been making every effort to have Section 6A revoked, as this could put the citizenship of millions of Muslims at risk.
The situation is that the chief minister is spewing venom against Muslims day by day, in fact, by doing so, he is trying to create a gape of hatred between the Hindus and Muslims of the state, which cannot be easily bridged. However, the decision that came today is not only historic and unprecedented, but it has also dampened the spirits of those communal forces who were crazed with the hope that, after the revocation of Section 6A, they could label Muslims as foreigners and expel them from the state.
He stated that after the historic Assam Accord, the citizenship act was amended by introducing Section 6A in 1951, which established the final basis for citizenship as of March 25, 1971. This amendment was formally approved in Parliament and was recognized by all opposition parties, including the BJP. However, later, this sensitive issue was politicized, and it was widely publicized that this amendment would grant citizenship to those who had entered the state illegally, which would also affect Assam’s culture and heritage.
He stated that not only did communal elements color this issue with a sectarian hue, but as a result, the NRC was also implemented in the state. However, there remained ambiguity regarding Section 6A, as some organizations and individuals went to the Supreme Court to declare it unconstitutional. Consequently, a definitive date for citizenship could not be established.
Maulana Madani stated that today the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench not only affirmed Section 6A but also established the same cut-off date for citizenship that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has been advocating from the very beginning.
He stated that this decision has further increased public trust in the judiciary. Our lawyers, who fought this important and significant case with great effort and discipline, also deserve congratulations. They convinced the constitutional bench with their arguments about how essential Section 6A is for establishing peace, unity, and stability in Assam, and that if it were to be revoked, a major humanitarian crisis could arise in the state.
Maulana Madani, expressing his happiness over today’s decision, further stated that the joy and happiness I felt in my social (Jamiat, Jam’at) life from the 2017 decision to accept the Panchayat certificate as proof of citizenship is far surpassed by the significance of today’s historic ruling from the constitutional bench. It is noteworthy that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has been a party to this important case from the very beginning, and for the continuous pursuit of this case on behalf of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and AAMSU (All Assam Minorities Students’ Union), senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid, Indira Jaising, Advocate Mustafa Khuddam Hussain, and Advocate on Record Fuzail Ayyubi have been present.
