Meghalaya petitioners move SC, says CAA threat to fundamental rights of tribal communities

NEW DELHI: Mantre Passah and Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh, two activists from Meghalaya have filed a PIL in the Supreme Court against CAA saying that the Act does not consider issues of trans-border tribal communities which do not fall under the identification purview set up by CAA.

“We are challenging the said Act because it attacks the fundamental rights of the individuals belonging to the tribal communities, with respect to their persecution as a trans-border tribal community as well as their status in neighbouring countries, including the Khasi-Pnar, Garo and other smaller tribal communities here in the state of Meghalaya bordering the country of Bangladesh," the activists said in a statement.

Pyrtuh told reporters, " If a Khasi person, who is neither a Hindu or Christian, is persecuted in Bangladesh and comes into India, then his application will not be entertained through the provisions of the CAA. "

The activists called for a fair and equitable policy.

Some 60 petitions have already been filed against CAA in the apex court. CAA aims to protect religiously persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan by giving them Indian Citizenship. The cut-off date for those to be given citizenship in India has been fixed at, on or before 31st December 2014.

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