New Delhi: More than 500 alumni of National Law School of India University in Bangalore have “unequivocally” condemned the “state sponsored” violence against students protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).“Reports of police brutality against unarmed students are deeply troubling. Such brutality suggests an objective of targeted persecution and violent repression of dissent,” they said. They also termed the CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) “unconstitutional” as it is contrary to the guarantee of equality before the law and contrary to the secular and pluralistic values of the Indian republic.The signatories condemned the “attempts to clamp down on” the “truly national and interdisciplinary character” of universities through the “abuse of state machinery”. Adding that they do not condone violence in protests, the alumni stood in solidarity with students and other protestors who choose to exercise their right to express dissent peacefully.“As professionals trained in the law, we are deeply cognizant of the impact that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) will have on the poor and religious minorities. By purporting to extend citizenship to only certain religious communities while excluding others, the CAA cannot claim to be a secular legislation. Together with the proposed NRC, this would mean that Indian Muslims who are unable to establish their citizenship through the onerous documentary requirements will be stripped of their citizenship rights,” the statement says.Also Read: Why I Will Not Register With the NRCThey said though Indians of other religions “have a path available to them of regaining citizenship”, the onerous requirement of proving citizenship through historical documentation coupled with vulnerabilities of misinformation, illiteracy and poverty make it “highly likely that this citizenship verification exercise will be a crushing burden for vulnerable Indians across religious lines”.“To sit silent in the face of this would be tantamount to being complicit in this abuse. It is imperative in the light of present events that the Constitution is preserved and upheld. Political fencesitting and toeing safety lines by not speaking truth to power is unacceptable,” they said.They demanded the repeal of CAA and the withdrawal of the proposed nationwide NRC. In addition, they also wanted all police and paramilitary forces to withdraw from university campuses and and “independent inquiry and accountability of police and paramilitary officials involved in the crackdown on university campuses”. They also sought the withdrawal of Section 144 ensure that the fundamental right to dissent is respected and protected.Read the full statement and the list of signatories below.§NLSIU Statement of solidarity by The Wire on Scribd