Congress states mull anti-CAA resolutions

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Sunday said the party would consider bringing a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the states ruled by it, after Punjab.

"After Punjab, we are thinking about bringing a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh. It would be a clear message to the central government to reconsider the Act," Patel was quoted as saying.

Rajasthan, another state ruled by the Congress, has also decided to bring in an Assembly resolution against the implementation of the CAA in the state in the budget session beginning on January 24. The resolution is likely to be passed on the very first day of the session, said government sources.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has repeatedly said the state government will not implement the CAA and NRC in the state.

He has been vociferous against the controversial law and held a massive and peaceful rally in Jaipur against CAA last month.

At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held earlier this month, the party had demanded that the Central government withdraw the CAA, accusing the BJP government of using its brute majority to impose a "divisive and discriminatory" agenda.

Punjab, where the Congress party is in power, became the second state to pass a resolution last week by voice vote against the controversial CAA. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said his government, like Kerala, will approach the Supreme Court on the issue.

The Kerala Assembly earlier passed a resolution demanding the scrapping of CAA, becoming the first state to do so. It had asked the Centre to cancel the legislation that has triggered countrywide protests.