‘Indians have nothing to fear,’ has been the refrain of the proponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). On the corollary move to implement a National Register of Citizens (NRC), they keep changing their positions — sometimes they say NRC and CAA have no link at all; other times they say the CAA will protect non-Muslims excluded from the NRC exercise. At times they say it is an internal matter of India, but they also promise to send back the “infiltrators” to places where they allegedly came from. The argument that Indians have nothing to fear — made repeatedly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah among others — is less a reassurance and more an assertion of the intent of the NRC-CAA. Yes, Indians have nothing to fear. But to be assured of no fear, she has to first PROVE that she is an Indian! The NRC puts onerous requirements that most Indians will find unable to meet, Hindu or Muslim. But non-Muslims have, at least theoretically, a route to citizenship under CAA. Muslims, if they cannot get into NRC — as a large number of them like all other communities, will end up — will have no route to citizenship. But the statement that ‘Indians have nothing to fear’ — while there are many reasons why they are worried — also suggests that those who are worried, the protesters, are not Indians or less Indians. The very act of protest itself undermines one’s credentials as Indians. Considering the reflex response of the regime that labels every critic of it ‘anti-national,’ this is a new twist. If you are Indian, you have nothing to worry. And inversely, if you are worried, you may not be Indian! [Extracted from ‘Citizenship Amendment Act – the fear factor’, by Varghese K. George, Editorial by The Hindu, December 17, 2019.]
Q.1. Which of the following views can be correctly attributed to the author of the above passage?
a. The Indians should not take to the streets to protest against the CAA-NRC as the newly introduced law will not affect them in any manner.
b. The intention of the CAA-NRC law is to make the Indians feel less worried about their citizenship.
c. Despite multiple assurances by Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, there is a speculation that the CAA-NRC might strip off the citizenship of many people, including Hindus as well. While the Hindus might be able to use the CAA route to retain their citizenship, the Muslims will have no way out.
d. The Indians should not be worried about the CAA-NRC exercise, as it is being brought about to deal with the Muslim infiltrators in the country.
Ans: c
Q.2. As per the passage given above, what is the reason given by the government for bringing the CAA law?
a. To send back the Muslim infiltrators where they belong.
b. To protect the non-Muslim excluded from the NRC exercise.
c. To strip the citizenship of the protestors, who are ‘less-Indian’.
d. To strip the citizenship of the government critic and anti-national.
Ans: b
Q.3. Suppose if one Mr. X is a Muslim and another Mr. Y is a Hindu person. Both X and Y fail to satisfy the requirement required under the NRC. However, as per the law explained above, what effect will the CAA have on their status of citizenship?
a. Both Mr. X and Mr. Y will be denied citizenship as they failed in the NRC exercise.
b. Both Mr. X and Mr. Y will be granted citizenship as even though they were excluded by the NRC, they will be absorbed as citizens under the CAA.
c. Mr. X will continue to be a citizen of India as per the provisions of CAA but Mr. Y will not be considered to be a citizen of the country.
d. Mr. Y will continue to be a citizen of India as per the provisions of CAA but Mr. X will not be considered to be a citizen of the country
Ans: d
Q.4. The author has expressed his views in support of the NRC-CAA exercise. The above given statement is True or False?
a. True, as the author constantly argues that the Indians have nothing to worry about the NRC- CAA.
b. False, as the author has argued that the concept of who is an ‘Indian’ has itself come into question, after the government response to criticism.
c. True, as the author appreciates the reassurance given by Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah that Indians have nothing to worry.
d. False, as the author is worried about the non-secular nature of the law.
