Opposition parties on Monday hit out at the Centre after it announced the implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 rules. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan outright rejected to implement the policy in his state, while West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said the move was a poll ploy by the BJP and she will oppose the law if it discriminates among citizens.
Move to inject communal divisions: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, in response to the Centre's action, characterised it as the divisive agenda of the Sangh Parivar. He stressed that the CAA, intended to marginalise Muslims as second-class citizens, would not be enforced in the state.
"The Union government notifying CAA rules ahead of the election is an attempt to disturb the nation. This is to inject communal divisions among the public, and to destroy the basic ideology of our constitution. Kerala was the first to pass a resolution against the CAA bill. We had announced that the National Population Register (NPR) would also not be implemented in the state. Pointing out the unconstitutional nature of the bill, the state had filed a suit in the Supreme Court against the Union government," CM Vijayan said.
Date of Ramadan intentionally chosen to announce: Mamata
Speaking to the press, WB CM Mamta Banerjee, said the BJP government ought to have issued the rules six months earlier. "If there are any good things, we always support and appreciate but if anything is done that is not good for the country, TMC will always raise its voice and oppose it. I know why today's date was chosen before Ramadan. I appeal to the people to be calm and avoid any rumours," CM Banerjee said minutes before the Centre's big announcement.
Attempt to manage headline after poll bond order by SC: Congress
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pointed out that the Union government took four years and three months to finalize the rules for the CAA, which was approved by Parliament in December 2019. He further suggested that the timing, just before the Lok Sabha elections, seemed designed to create polarization, particularly in West Bengal and Assam. “It also appears to be an attempt to manage the headlines after the Supreme Court’s severe strictures on the Electoral Bonds Scandal,” he added.
Attempt to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens: Owaisi
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also slammed the Centre for the announcement, saying the CAA is divisive and meant to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens.
"Aap chronology samajhiye, pehle election season aayega phir CAA rules aayenge. Our objections to CAA remain the same. CAA is divisive & based on Godse’s thought that wanted to reduce Muslims to second-class citizens," Owaisi said.
"Give asylum to anyone who is persecuted but citizenship must not be based on religion or nationality. The govt should explain why it kept these rules pending for five years & why it’s implementing it now. Along with NPR-NRC, CAA is meant to only target Muslims, it serves no other purpose. Indians who came out on the streets to oppose CAA NPR NRC will have no choice but to oppose it again," he added.
What does CAA say?
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) revises the Citizenship Act of 1955, offering a route to Indian citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis who migrated from neighboring Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan prior to December 31, 2014.
CAA sparked nation-wide protests
The introduction of the CAA triggered significant controversy and widespread protests throughout India. Critics contended that it discriminates against Muslims and undermines the secular principles upheld in the Indian Constitution. Conversely, the government defended the legislation as a humanitarian initiative intended to safeguard persecuted religious minorities from neighboring nations.
