Anti-CAA Protests: Time For Modi Govt To Be Open To Dialogue

Countrywide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act continue unabated and appear to show no signs of ebbing. Political parties have muddied the waters and have only queered the pitch.

The man on the street who is wary of CAA finds himself in an increasingly confused state with each passing day. In his mind, because of the shrill voices against CAA and the direction in which the discourse has been steered, it has come to be associated with National Register of Citizens (NRC) and now the National Population Register (NPR).

The Modi government has an onerous responsibility—the onus of convincing a section of the population which has reservations on the issue lies with it. Home minister Amit Shah has repeatedly said that CAA has nothing to do with NRC and that NPR is an independent exercise altogether. Prime Minister Modi has also said that people are being misled by Congress and other opposition parties on the subject.

Clearly these statements are not being seen as enough. There is a sense of unease in many sections of the people about the way the entire issue is playing out as seen from multiple protests across the country, some of which have turned violent. The government has to think on its feet now and act fast.

For instance, though the Bill has been enacted and is now a law, it could convene a special session of Parliament to hold a discussion on the Act. The issue can be discussed threadbare during the entire session where all parties can put forth their views and the government can explain its rationale on CAA, NRC and NPR at length. All apprehensions and reservations can be dispelled and a process formulated through consensus.

The NDA government can then assert that it had convened a special session with this express intention. It can effectively counter opposition propaganda that the government rushed the Act through both houses of Parliament. It is not enough to say as Amit Shah has been saying, that the opposition did not voice many of its concerns during the debate on the Bill.

Perhaps, it's time for the Modi government to rethink its approach on the way forward on this issue. Instead of viewing it as back-pedalling, the BJP should take it forward in a positive spirit with national consensus.