After Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan may pass anti-CAA resolution

Jaipur, Jan 20: The Congress-ruled Rajasthan has decided to bring in a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the budget session of the state assembly beginning on January 24.

Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal said the assembly session will begin on January 24.

"The session is beginning on January 24 because a bill to extend reservation to SC and ST candidates in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for another 10 years have to be ratified before January 25," Dhariwal told reporters. He also said the government is mulling to introduce a resolution against the CAA in the assembly session.

"The Congress is against the citizenship amendment act and therefore a resolution is likely to be introduced in the assembly," he said. Official sources said that the resolution is likely to be introduced on the very first day of the session.

On Friday, MLA Wajib Ali, one of six MLAs who defected to ruling Congress from BSP last year, had forwarded a letter to the chief minister requesting him to bring a resolution against the CAA.

"Protests against the CAA are being held across the country. The amended act is against the spirit of the Constitution and it is causing social unrest," Ali said. The opposition BJP alleged that the session was hurriedly convened and the government's move to bring the resolution will be strongly opposed.

"The session is convened hurriedly and it is the violation of rules and procedures. The government and chief minister do not take the assembly seriously," Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said.

"We will oppose any such move of the government. No one, be it the chief minister or government or any party, is above the law," BJP state president and MLA Satish Poonia said.

Kerala and Punjab have already passed the resolution to step up pressure on the Centre against the amended law, which sparked a series of protests and violence in different parts of the country.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot too has repeatedly said the state will not implement CAA and NRC in the state. He has been vociferous against the controversial law and held a massive and peaceful rally in Jaipur against the CAA last month. On various occasions, the chief minister said his government will not implement CAA as well as NRC. "Citizenship amendment act cannot be implemented because it is not practical," Gehlot had said earlier.