After Kerala and Punjab, Rajasthan on Saturday passed an anti-CAA resolution demanding the withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). With this, Rajasthan becomes the second Congress-ruled states to pass such resolution. Left-ruling Kerala has also done the same and demanded the scrapping of the CAA. Following the passage of the resolution, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that the resolution has “urged the central government to repeal the law as it discriminates against people on religious grounds, which violates the provisions of our Constitution”.
“It is noteworthy that a large number of states have been opposing NRC-CAA keeping in mind public opinion at large. It is the duty of central govt to keep the federal structure intact and strong, I urge NDA govt to come forward and withdraw the act. Govt should not make it a prestige issue. 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 CAA clearly violates this article, therefore, it should be repealed,” he said in a series of tweets.
He further said that 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,” the chief minister added. Hours after the development, the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back and said that it was equal to ‘murdering the democracy’.
While speaking to news agency ANI, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said: “It (anti-CAA resolution) amounts to murdering the democracy. Assemblies are going beyond limited autonomy granted by the Constitution by passing these resolutions. This is a conspiracy to divide the country, which not acceptable.”