After Punjab and Kerala, Rajasthan is all set to be the third state to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). A special session of Rajasthan Assembly has been called on January 24 and it is believed that a resolution to oppose CAA would be brought in.
The move comes after senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that after Punjab the party is considering to bring a proposal to oppose CAA in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal informed, “The session is beginning on 24 January because a resolution to extend reservation to SC/ST in Lok Sabha and assemblies has to be ratified before January 25.”
He, however, added, “The government is likely to bring a resolution against the CAA in the session, especially as the Congress is against it.”
This would be the first session of the Assembly in the year 2020 and is expected to extend into Budget session and thus it would begin with the Governor’s address. Notification for the said session has been issued.
A difference of opinion is visible within the Congress on the issue of CAA. While Ahmed Patel has said that the party is deliberating on bringing a proposal to oppose CAA in Congress-ruled states, senior Congress leaders Kapil Sibbal and Salman Khurshid have gone on to say that states cannot refuse to implement CAA.
The BJP is all set to oppose the move in the house. BJP state president Satish Poonia who is also an MLA from Amer seat in Jaipur said, “We will oppose the move in the house. ”
In the 200 member Rajasthan Assembly, Congress has 107 (after 6 BSP MLAs joining Congress) while BJP has 72. There are 13 independents and three from Rashtriya Loktantrik Party while two each from Bhartiya Tribal party and CPIM and one from Rashtriya Lok Dal (that has an alliance with Congress).
