NEW DELHI: A joint resolution against the CAA was debated at the European Parliament on Wednesday where Indian-origin Members of European Parliament (MEPs) backed New Delhi even as there was opposition from some quarters.
Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Helena Dalli, who began the debate, spoke in favour of the CAA and dwelled on the rich, frank and open relationship of the EU with India.
She concluded saying dialogue with India should be intensified.
Both Indian origin MEPs Dinesh Dhamija and Neena Gill backed India, with the former pointed out four wrongs in the draft resolution.
“It talks about Rohingyas, who are economic migrants, Tamil refugees who are ethnic minorities and not religious. There is also talk of NRC in the resolution but the NRC does not find a mention in the CAA and violence of police but 57 cops were injured at a rally in Lucknow. The CAA is sub-judice and the Supreme Court of India should assess it,” Dhamija said.
Gill said that the CAA was an action of positive discrimination and there was no exclusion of Muslims.
“The draft spreads disinformation and is misleading.”
French MEP Thierry Mariani also backed India, saying that the government and the Prime Minister were elected and re-elected.
“The vote on resolution was postponed keeping the Indian perspective in mind. Nothing has changed and there is no persecution or exclusion of Muslims. Pakistan seems to be pulling hands here and there must be a debate on the minorities that are being persecuted in Pakistan. Each nation has the right to decide what is best for them.”
The first blow for the resolutions came when the MEPs decided to vote in the next plenary in March.
India claimed a diplomatic victory, saying its friends had prevailed over the friends of Pakistan in the European Parliament.
If the European Parliament votes on the resolution in March, British MEPs would not be a part of it as the House finalised the Brexit plan on Wednesday.
Pakistan-born British MEP Shaffaq Mohammed claimed the "House had chosen trade over human rights.”
‘HOME support’ from duo
Both Indian origin MEPs Dinesh Dhamija and Neena Gill backed India on the CAA and pointed out ‘disinformation’ being spread in the draft resolutions.
Gill said that the CAA was an action of positive discrimination and there was no exclusion of Muslims.
Dhamija pointed out four wrongs in the draft resolution itself.
FRENCH IN FAVOUR, PAK-ORIGIN MEP raised the objection
Thierry Mariani, a French MEP, referred to Pakistan’s hand in drafting and tabling the resolutions in the European Parliament.
“Each nation has the discretion to decide what to do internally.”
The vote on the resolution was postponed keeping the Indian perspective in mind. Nothing has changed and there is no persecution or exclusion of Muslims, he asserted.
On the other hand, Pakistan-origin MEP Shaffaq Mohammed and others such as Socialists & Democrats' John Howarth and VERTS/ALE’s Scott Ainslie described the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as a “highly discriminatory” legislation.
Diplomatic victory: India
Sources said that the decision to call off the vote on the resolution on Thursday was taken as the matter (amended citizenship law) is sub-judice before the Supreme Court in India.
New Delhi claimed a diplomatic victory, saying that ‘friends of India had prevailed over friends of Pakistan in the European Parliament’.