Supreme Court Upholds Section 6A of Citizenship Act
A Victory for Assam Accord, Says Aminul Islam
In Guwahati, Assam, Aminul Islam, the General Secretary of the All India United Democratic Front, expressed his party’s support for the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Section 6A of the Citizenship Act. He described the ruling as a triumph for the Assam Accord, a historic agreement from 1985 that aimed to address citizenship issues in Assam.
Section 6A was introduced to grant citizenship to illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who entered Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971. The Supreme Court’s decision was delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, with Justices Surya Kant, MM Sundresh, and Manoj Misra supporting the majority verdict, while Justice JB Pardiwala dissented.
Senior advocate and Congress leader Salman Khurshid also commented on the decision, noting that the rights recognized under Section 6A based on the Assam Accord have been upheld.
The Central government had previously informed the court that it lacked precise data on illegal migration due to its secretive nature. However, it reported that 17,861 migrants who entered Assam during the specified period were granted Indian citizenship, while 32,381 individuals were declared foreigners by tribunals.
The Assam Accord was a result of negotiations between the Indian government and local groups like the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP), who opposed the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants following Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Petitioners have challenged Section 6A, arguing it discriminates against Assam by setting different cut-off dates for citizenship compared to the rest of India. They claim it has altered Assam’s demographics by granting immediate citizenship to many immigrants.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and rights in the country.
Section 6A -: Section 6A is a part of the Citizenship Act in India. It was added to give citizenship to certain people from Bangladesh who came to Assam before 1971.
Citizenship Act -: The Citizenship Act is a law in India that explains who can be an Indian citizen and how they can become one.
Assam Accord -: The Assam Accord is an agreement made in 1985 between the Indian government and leaders in Assam. It aimed to address issues related to immigration from Bangladesh into Assam.
Aminul Islam -: Aminul Islam is a leader from the All India United Democratic Front, a political party in India. He supports the decision to uphold Section 6A.
All India United Democratic Front -: The All India United Democratic Front is a political party in India. It mainly focuses on the rights and issues of minority communities.
Bangladeshi immigrants -: Bangladeshi immigrants are people who moved from Bangladesh to India. Some of them came to Assam before 1971 and are affected by Section 6A.
Central government -: The Central government is the national government of India. It makes decisions and laws for the entire country.
17,861 migrants -: This number refers to the people who were given Indian citizenship under Section 6A. They are from Bangladesh and settled in Assam before 1971.