Pleased that SC sought clarification from govt on Citizenship Act: Jamiat

The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said on Wednesday that people from all religions were protesting against the amended Citizenship Act and expressed happiness that the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre on the law.

Jamiat President Maulana Arshad Madani said most of the 59 petitions against the CAA were filed by non-Muslims, which shows that non-Muslims too consider the new law a threat to the unity and integrity of the country.

"The clarification that the court has asked the government regarding the aforesaid law is a pleasing, but it will be interesting to see what arguments the central government would present in favor of the utility of the law," he said in a statement.

"Since the passage of this law, there has been a lot of trouble everywhere in the country. There are protests, and a large number of non-Muslims are joining them, and protesting against the law.

"This unity and solidarity is the real strength of our country that is why people, irrespective of their religion, are coming out, and registering their protest in the streets on the basis of humanity, which has shaken the government," he said in a statement.

A three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice of India S A Bobde today heard 59 petitions filed in the SC against the CAA and issued notice to the Centre. The court will next hear the case on January 22.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind is one of the leading organisations of Islamic scholars belonging to the Deobandi school of thought in the country.