Geetha Patil
CAMBRIDGE MA: a Large number of Indian-origin group, came out to support the recently enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the Government of India by holding a rally in Cambridge, Massachusetts on 5 January 2020. The similar kind of rallies was organized in a different part of the US.
The rally was aimed at taking away the misinformation and myths surrounding the act as well as to counter the planned and deliberate propaganda of hate, lies and irrationality spread by US-based Pakistanis, supporters of Indian National Congress and other opposition parties and some Leftist Organizations.
In the last few days, members of Indian diaspora were holding demonstrations in various cities of the US. Demonstrators were seen holding placards which read ‘We support Citizenship (Amendment) Act’, ‘CAA is about human rights’ and ‘NRIs support CAA.’ Indian community members are coming out in big numbers to support the Indian government decision in bringing CAA to provide relief to oppressed minorities based on their religion (Hindus, Sikhs, Christians Parsis, Jains and Buddhists) in neighbouring Islamic countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
These rally included representatives of the various religious sects mentioned in the act. Educated teenagers and youngster, who read in detail about this act also participated in the rally. Demonstrators were of the opinion that instead of having civil debate based on facts, some organizations were bent on undermining any discourse or the truth, by spreading completely absurd lies. What is lost in their dialogue is the plight of those who suffered untold sufferings since the partition of India.
Most secularists failed to differentiate between religious persecution and economic migration. CAA is not against any religion, but it is against the religious persecution and supports those minorities who are prosecuted in Islam dominated countries. Thousands of people have migrated to India illegally for economic reasons as well. We have to deal with them with compassion and concern, but we still have to apply laws. Countries cannot survive without laws. Like the United States, India has to enforce immigration laws.
Robert B. Lancia, the former Rhode Island Legislator, came to support the members of Indian Community rally at Cambridge. He, along with his wife, held the place card and shouted the slogans. He said that CAA provides an opportunity for the persecuted Indian diaspora to become Indian citizens from three countries which have been officially declared as Islamic republics and all minorities are forced to live in pathetic conditions as second class citizens. America is willing to invite a lot more Indians in the coming years as there are millions of job opportunities are going to be created.
One of the participants said, “We organized this rally to counter the fear-mongering of Islamic and leftist organizations about CAA and NRC, their bizarre statements that NRC in combination with CAA is designed to expel Muslims from India.”
Another participant said, “Muslims in India are misinformed, they absolutely did not want to talk facts or listen to facts. Our teenagers and kids who are here are also so well informed and educated on this topic and making efforts to avoid illiteracy on the topic.”
