Friday, July 22, 2005

Amend Citizenship Act: Assam Muslims

Muslims groups in the state have demanded an amendment to the Foreigners' Act of 1946 and the Citizenship Act of 1955 for the protection of religious and linguistic minorities. The groups have also demanded the formation of a committee of "non-political and secular-minded people" under each police station for the protecting minorities and identifying illegal migrants. At a press conference held on Wednesday in the city, Alhaz Ali Ahmed Hussain, working president of the state Markazi Jamiat and chief convenor of the Minority Rights Protection Committee demanded that the government take steps to protect the interests of minorities (MRPC).
A meeting convened by the MRCP on Tuesday, brought together organisations such as the Qaumi Aykya Mancha, the State Markazi Jamiat, the Assam State Minority OBC Sanmilani, the Assam Mahila Front and several others with the organisations deciding to send a delegation to Delhi to press for their demands. Minority groups in the state have rallied together after the scrapping of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983 by the Supreme Court recently.
Tuesday's meeting, Hussain said, had also demanded that the identification and deportation of the 3,70,000 suspected illegal migrants who have been enlisted as D-Voters on the voters' list, and the issue of photo identity cards for Indian voters be carried out only after proper verification of ration

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