CAA Does Not Take Away Anybody's Citizenship, UCC Should Be Implemented Immediately: Justice KT Thomas

"I strongly support the Citizenship Amendment Act", said former Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice KT Thomas while speaking to the media yesterday. "The Congress had asked for it long back", he further said about the CAA.

Justice KT Thomas said that protests and objections against the Citizenship Amendment Act are politically motivated.

Justice Thomas also said that the Citizenship Amendment Act does not take away anybody's citizenship.

While speaking on the Uniform Civil Code, Justice Thomas said, "Uniform Civil Code must be implemented in India immediately, immediately". He said that it is in the Constitution of India from the year 1950, in Article 44, that the Uniform Civil Code should be implemented.

Regarding UCC, Justice Thomas further said that 98% of the laws are already uniform. He gave examples of criminal laws and the Evidence Act. "If someone dares to implement the UCC, it will be a big service to the Constitution and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar", Justice Thomas said.

Justice Thomas also referred to the speech of Dr. Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly regarding uniform civil code.

During the hearing of the pleas challenging the CAA by the Supreme Court last month, the Solicitor General appearing for the Centre had defended the CAA stating that it does not take away anyone's citizenship. The Apex Court had refused to pass any interim order staying the grant of citizenship pending its consideration of the pleas against it. The Court also did not accede to the request to pass an order making the grant of citizenship subject to the outcome of the case.

During the said hearing, Senior Advocate Indira Jaising opposed the grant of Citizenship to Hindus from Balochistan under the CAA on the ground that "they will get a right to vote."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had claimed that CAA would grant citizenship to crores of people now residing in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.