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Punjab assembly passes resolution against CAA while declaring it as divisive and non-secular

The Punjab assembly today passed a resolution against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. The resolution was passed by voice vote on the last day of the two-day special session.

Cabinet minister Brahm Mohindra presented this resolution in the Punjab assembly while terming it against the humanistic values and secular values of the Indian constitution. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supported the resolution while terming CAA as a brainchild of BJP to divert attention from the big issues, but the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) opposed it.

However, SAD MLA Sharanjit Dhillon said that they demand that Muslims should not be left out under the CAA. Terming the imposition of CAA as an attempt to change the secular fabric of India, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has said that the Punjab government will approach Supreme Court on this issue. “The Centre will have to make the necessary amendments to the CAA if it has to be implemented in Punjab and other states opposing the legislation,” he added.

“What is happening in this country? We need to learn from history. In the 1930s, the same happened in Europe. First, they were against communists, then they were against Jews. This is religious cleansing,” Captain said while questioning where poor people would get their documentation from. “It is divisive and stands for everything opposed to a free and fair democracy which must enshrine equality for all. Alongside the religion-based discrimination in granting citizenship, it is apprehended that the CAA is also likely to endanger the linguistic and cultural identity of some sections of our people. CAA also envisages cancellation of the registration of Overseas Citizens of India (OC) card holders, if they violate any law,’’ the resolution states.

“The CAA is aimed at distinguishing illegal migrants on the basis of religion, which is not permissible under the Constitution. It is also violative of Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees the Right to Equality and equal protection of the laws to all persons,” it further states. “In the backdrop of these facts, it is evident that the CAA violates the secular identity of India, which is the basic feature of our Constitution; therefore the House resolves to urge upon the Government of India to repeal the CAA to avoid any discrimination on the basis of religion in granting citizenship and to ensure equality before law for all religious groups in India. Given the apprehensions about National Register of Citizens (NRC) and that the National Population Register (NPR) is a prelude to the NRC designed to. Depriving section of persons from citizenship of India and implement CAA, this House further resolves that Central Government should amend the forms documentation associated with the NPR to allay such apprehension in the minds of the people and only thereafter undertake work of enumeration under NPR,” it reads.