Guj Assembly passes resolution congratulating PM, Shah

The Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution in support of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by majority votes, becoming the first state to do so.

The ruling party also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for bringing in the legislation that enables "the minority community from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in becoming sons of mother India."

On the other hand, Scheduled Caste leader and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani tore up a copy of the act in the Assembly and demanded Chief Minister Vijay Rupani prove his citizenship in view of the fact that "his parents migrated from Burma".

Mevani also issued a statement saying that "today is a black day in the history of Gujarat Assembly because the BJP presented a resolution celebrating unconstitutional CAA."

Earlier in the day, the Assembly also ratified a Constitutional Amendment Bill passed by Parliament to extend reservation to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for another ten years. This resolution was passed unanimously in the House.

Before this, the Opposition Congress protested against the ruling BJP over infant deaths and other issues including CAA.

Congress MLA Imran Khedawala wrote slogans against CAA with his blood and protested passing of the resolution in the Assembly.

Later, Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja termed CAA as a "bold and historic step."