UNHRC Files Case Against the CAA in Supreme Court
UNHRC’s commissioner Michelle Bachelet has filed an application in the Supreme Court of India against the CAA. Watch the video to learn more.
UN Commission for Human Rights (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.On Monday 2nd March 2020, the UNHRC’s commissioner Michelle Bachelet has filed an application in the Supreme Court of India against the CAA. The UNHRC has said that the CAA excludes people on the basis of their religion and is against human rights.People all over the world are extremely unhappy with the Indian government’s decision to implement the CAA. The Indian External Affairs Ministry responded with a sharply-worded statement, declaring the CAA an "internal matter and saying "no foreign party had the right to interfere by filing a case in India’s court”. The MEA also said the CAA, which the government says will help non-Muslim refugees fleeing religious persecution from Muslim-dominated neighbouring countries, is "constitutionally valid" and upholds human rights values.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing 143 petitions challenging the legal validity of the CAA.In a January hearing the court declined to put the law on hold and, instead, gave the central government four weeks to respond.There are protests all over the country, some of which have been led by students and women, and there are lakhs protesting all over. Even students in foreign countries and celebrities like Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters are against the CAA.Protests over the law also led to horrific violence in Delhi last week, in which 48 people were killed and hundreds injured. Videos shared on social media showed Delhi Police officials forcing injured Muslim men to sing the national anthem, and in some cases, smashing CCTV cameras in violence-affected areas.Despite all these protests, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government stands by its CAA decision "despite all the pressure".
