Kerala Assembly passes resolution against CAA

While lone BJP MLA dissents

Arjun Raghunath, DHNS, Thiruvananthapuram,

Dec 31 2019, 13:50 ist
updated: Dec 31 2019, 15:37 ist

The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the centre to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act maintaining that it violated the secularism prescribed by the Constitution and created serious concerns among a large section of the society.

Except for the lone BJP MLA in the house, the resolution was supported by all members of the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front.

Strong resentment against CAA echoed in the house during the over three-hour-long discussions in the house.

Kerala Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan who moved the resolution alleged that the BJP was aiming at making India a theocratic state. The criminalisation of triple talaq and abolishing the special status to Jammu Kashmir were earlier instances of targeting a section and the CAA was another step towards implementing the RSS ideologies, alleged the senior CPM leader.

Mr. Vijayan also reiterated that NPR would not be implemented in Kerala owing to the fresh concerns it triggered in view the CAA and the centre's earlier directive to set up detention centre was also kept in abeyance.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the CAA was aimed at triggering communal discrimination in the country.

Expressing his dissent, the lone BJP MLA in the house said that even as the CAA was not against the Muslims in the country, a misleading campaign was being carried out with vested political motives. Politics and nation should be seen as two different aspects. Nation's needs should not be sacrificed for political gains, said Mr. Rajagopal.

Meanwhile, an independent MLA in the house, P C George, who had earlier joined the NDA, also backed the resolution against CAA.

The one-day special session of the house also ratified the extension of reservation for SC ST community members in the Assemblies and Parliament for ten more years and also passed a resolution urging the centre to extend the reservation for Anglo Indian community members in Parliament and Assemblies.