India / Punjab Assembly passes anti-CAA resolution, 2nd state after Kerala to do so

New Delhi: Punjab on Friday became the second state after Kerala to adopt a resolution against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which has sparked protests across the country. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on what will be day two of the two-day special session of the Punjab Assembly, which began on Thursday.

The move came on a day the Centre will hold a meeting with the state governments to discuss Census 2020 and the National Population Register (NPR), which, it is argued, is the first step to an eventual pan-India National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The draft resolution prepared by the Punjab Assembly states, “CAA has caused countrywide anguish and social unrest with widespread protests across the country. Punjab also witnessed peaceful protests by all segments of our society.”

The draft calls the CAA ‘divisive’, which, it says, seeks to negate the very secular fabric on which the Constitution of India is based. “The CAA stands for everything that opposes a free and fair democracy which must enshrine equality for all,” the draft resolution adds. Additionally, it accuses the CAA of distinguishing illegal migrants on the basis of religion, which, it says, is not permissible under the Constitution.

The resolution is expected to sail through in the 117-seat Assembly as the ruling Congress has a brute majority there with 80 seats of its own. The Chief Minister, however, earlier this week said that he would try to ensure a unanimous passage of the resolution by getting even the opposition parties, including BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) onboard.

Kerala, on December 31, became the first state to pass an anti-CAA resolution. CM Pinarayi Vijayan also wrote to 11 non-BJP CMs, urging them to adopt an anti-CAA resolution on the lines of his state. Earlier this week, it also became the first state to challenge the CAA in the Supreme Court.