Telangana is latest state to oppose CAA, NPR, NRC; adamant stand not right in a democracy, KCR tells Modi

Telangana has become the latest state legislature in the country to oppose the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019.

On Monday, the Telangana assembly adopted a resolution expressing concern over the new format NPR and the proposed NRC, while also imploring the Narendra Modi government to remove all references to any religion and foreign country in the CAA.

Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal etc. states have already passed such resolutions.

Speaking after he introduced the “Government resolution on CAA, NPR and NRC,” Rao said, “We are not opposing blindly. This is not a Hindu-Muslim issue but problem of the entire country.”

“When there are doubts, protests from crores of people, an adamant stand is not right in a democracy. We urge the Centre to review the provisions, abrogate the law. If you want to issue a national identity card, we will support you but let us go in new format convincing one and all. Let us come up with a new formula acceptable to all of us,” Rao said.

“I was born in our house in a village. When I who come from a landlord family with hundreds of acres cannot produce a birth certificate, think of lakhs of poor, backward classes and uneducated people,” Rao said while questioning as where they will bring the documents from.

Opposition Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka echoed CM’s views, while AIMIM’s Akbaruddin Owaisi welcomed the resolution.

The sole objection to the TRS government’s move came from lone BJP MLA Raja Singh, who accused Rao as misinforming and misleading Telangana people over CAA provisions. “I will resign and leave the state if even one local person if affected by the citizenship law, Singh said.

Singh entered the well of the house in protest when the treasury benches objected to some of his references.

On the CM’s request, speaker Srinivas Reddy put the resolution to vote which was passed by a voice vote.

“In view of the apprehensions among a large section of people of India, the legislative assembly of Telangana resolves to urge the government of India to amend the CAA 2019 in order to remove all references to any religion or to any foreign country. Further, this house expresses concern over the proposed implementation of NPR and NRC which may result in exclusion of large number of people,” the resolution says.

In addition, the resolution “urges” Rao’s government “to take all necessary steps to safeguard the people of Telangana from exercises such as NPR and NRC.”