Alumni at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), has launched a campaign in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The campaign is in response to the Anti-NRC petition which was circulated by the IIMA alumni and picked up by the media.

“While the media reported IIMA as being against NRC in an almost a blanket stereotyping of all students, members and alums, there are many, many who support and understand the need for NRC. These voices deserve a place and space to be heard on an equal platform, and it is no justice for them to be clubbed as Anti-NRC just because some of their peers signed a letter,” the email circulated within the alumni read.

“The entire premise of NRC being against any community is laid in a foundation of lies and confusions. The peddlers of this fear have ultimately expanded across India, leading to a situation of desperation and violent divisive sentiment. Those who are protesting against CAA are doing little to dispel the doubts of NRC and unwilling to listen to the reason why NRC is a necessary step which even the Supreme Court of India ratified in 2013,” the letter further said.

Condemning the violent protests held by anti-CAA rioters in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar and other parts of the country, the petition by IIMA alumni reads that the NRC is of paramount importance for any country. “The need becomes even more critical and urgent when the country is weighed down with disproportionate population of its own coupled with heavy influx of illegal immigrants from neighboring countries often unchecked across porous borders. The Indian taxpayers hard earned money is meant for the welfare of his/her fellow citizens and squandering that on illegal immigrants is a gross disservice to the nation,” the petition reads. 

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The petition reads that the NRC along with CAA has been “grossly misunderstood and misrepresented by various factions in order to further their respective narratives.” This misrepresentation has led to fear-mongering. On the history of NRC, the petition reads that it was first implemented in 1951, four years after independence and the current form has been mandated by the Supreme Court in 2013. 

“The problem of protesting against CAA is that while it may seem divisive to many, seemingly nobody has, or even bothers to give a better solution,” the petition reads. On the utopian dream of giving citizenship to all alien people, the petition says how it will add a burden of nearly 2 crore to the population. “CAA is the optimal solution and has no alternative. And CAA in its current form fulfils our commitment to the Article 3 of Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel,  Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment whereby before undertaking any repatriation the signatory country must ensure it is not sending back any refugee to face “torture and serious danger”,” the petition reads.

“As educated, aware and non-partisan citizens, who do not see issues in the colors of their religion and flags of their party, and who regard the nation above all religion, party and person – while we do support the right to strictly non-violent protest we also whole-heartedly support the idea of protecting the nation and its citizens’ rights via the effective implementation of NRC. NRC must now be implemented in full swing to ensure that all citizens of India cherish their Indian-ness as responsible citizens,” the petition reads.

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Another letter signed by six IIMA alumni from the 2017-18 batch was also issued where the signatories condemned the violent protests and hoped for sane voices to rise. “Being educated professionals, we fully understand the threats, risks, problems (of every nature) associated with unchecked, unlimited immigration, that too in an already overpopulated country where population control is the need of the hour,” the letter read. The alumni further extended support to assist persecuted community, anywhere in the world, to highlight their issues at global level.

Amusingly, when an email was circulated at IIM Udaipur to urge students to oppose CAA, a second year student wasn’t quite amused.

The student angrily replied saying how such email chains are hardly of any use and since they are there to study management, they’d rather do so.

This is not the first time alumni of premier educational institution has come forward in support of the CAA. Earlier, the IIT Bombay students had also come out in support of the CAA.