Rajasthan Assembly Passes Anti-CAA Resolution After Kerala, Punjab

Jaipur: Rajasthan state assembly on Saturday, has passed a resolution moved in the house against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Rajasthan is the third state after Kerala and Punjab to pass such a resolution against the contentious Act.

The Rajasthan assembly resolution states that the recently enacted CAA is aimed at distinguishing illegal migrants on the basis of religion. The resolution adds that such discrimination of people on the grounds of religion is not in consonance with the secular ideals enshrined in the Constitution. It says that it is, therefore, violative of Article 14 of the Constitution and called upon the Centre to repeal the Act.

A number of BJP MLAs rushed to the well of the House raising slogans in favour of the newly enacted law.

On December 13, 2019, the Kerala assembly passed a resolution moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan describing CAA as 'unconstitutional' and as a law which violated the secular principles of the Constitution. The Punjab assembly passed a similar resolution on January 17and urged the Centre to withdraw the Act.

Experts have pointed out that such resolutions passed by states do not have any legal validity.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has asked the Union government to respond to 83 petitions questioning the constitutionality of the Act and has given the Centre four weeks' time. It refused to give a stay order in the matter as sought by some lawyer-petitioners.