Many Muslims in Mumbai are seeking assistance from lawyers to correct errors in their identification documents, such as the Aadhaar card. These fears have arisen due to the controversies surrounding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Lawyers like Nadeem Siddiqui and Salman Qureshi have set up offices to provide free legal advice and guidance to individuals who require corrections in their documentation. Siddiqui, an advocate, started this initiative in 2020 after discovering errors in his own documents. He realized that many individuals, especially those unaware of the process, might face difficulties in rectifying such errors. Therefore, he established the office to aid people in correcting their identification documents, whether it be Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, voter IDs, passports, or birth certificates. Siddiqui’s office operates from 2 pm to 10 pm on regular days, and the number of walk-ins has significantly increased since the CAA-NRC became prominent. The services provided by the office have helped individuals rectify discrepancies and bring their identification documents in line with the required standards.
Salman Qureshi, another lawyer, has been organizing documentation camps in Mumbai to assist people in correcting their documents. He specializes in aiding individuals with correcting birth certificates and leaving certificates, which have become a matter of concern for many. The surge in documentation corrections can be attributed to the uncertainties and fears associated with the CAA and NRC. Critics claim that the final draft of the NRC excluded approximately 19.06 lakh people out of 3.3 crore applicants in Assam, primarily affecting Muslims. The CAA has raised concerns about the potential exclusion of Muslims from Indian citizenship due to the focus on granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31st, 2014. Amidst these concerns, lawyers like Siddiqui and Qureshi are paving the way by helping individuals address and resolve issues with their identification documents. Their efforts ensure that people’s identities are accurately represented, minimizing the risk of any future complications.
Overall, the assistance provided by lawyers in Mumbai is crucial in helping individuals navigate the complexities of documentation corrections amid the controversies surrounding the CAA and NRC. Their dedication to ensuring that people’s identity documents are error-free empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and secure their rights as Indian citizens.
