After Kerala and Punjab, now Rajasthan govt passes resolution against CAA

JAIPUR: The Congress government in Rajasthan on Saturday passed a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state assembly. The resolution was passed with voice vote amid stiff opposition by the BJP which accused the ruling Congress of pursuing appeasement politics.

It is the second Congress-ruled state after Punjab to pass such a resolution. Earlier, Kerala Assembly too had passed a resolution against the CAA moved jointly by the ruling Left alliance and the opposition Congress-led UDF.

The resolution passed by the Rajasthan assembly urges Centre to repeal the law as it discriminates against people on religious grounds, which violates the provisions of Constitution. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter and inform that the state assembly has passed a resolution against CAA.

"Rajasthan Assembly has passed a resolution today against the #CAA and we have urged the Central govt to repeal the law as it discriminates against people on religious grounds, which violates the provisions of our Constitution," Gehlot said in a tweet.

In a series of tweets, Gehlot further claimed that the amended citizenship law violates secular principles of the Constitution and also Article 14 of the Constitution.

"Our Constitution prohibits any kind of discrimination. This is the first time in the history of the nation that a law has been enacted which discriminates people on religious grounds. It violates secular principles of our constitution and also Article 14 of our Constitution," he said. 

Gehlot further said, "Article 14 clearly states that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. CAA clearly violates this article therefore it should be repealed."

"The term secular in the Constitution of India means that all the religions in India get equal respect, protection and support from the State. CAA aims to change this basic principle. For this very reason, CAA has been opposed across the country," Gehlot said in another tweet. 

Addressing a press briefing, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot had on Thursday, informed that the state government will also bring out a resolution against the amended citizenship law.

This comes after the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to put a stay on the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 and granted four weeks` time to the Central government to file a reply on the petitions regarding the same.

The citizenship law is facing major protests and opposition across the country with some states including West Bengal refusing to implement in their respective states. BJP, on the other hand, is also reaching out to the people in a bid to mobilise support for the newly amended citizenship law and "remove misconceptions created by the opposition".

The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.