Three chief ministers of the country have decided not to implement the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2019 in their respective states.
These chief ministers are West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Punjab CM Amarinder Singh.
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The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2019 has become an Act after getting the assent of President Ram Nath Kovind.
Also read: CAB becomes Act, gets President Kovind’s assent
Kerala CM Vijayan said the “Citizenship Amendment Bill is an attack on the secular and democratic character of India”.
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The Citizenship Amendment Bill is an attack on the secular and democratic character of India. The move to decide citizenship on the basis of religion amounts to a rejection of the Constitution. It will only take our country backward. Our hard-fought freedom is at stake. pic.twitter.com/Yg9Y8QJLUx
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) December 11, 2019
Stating that democracy of India is “in danger”, Vijayan tweeted on Thursday: “With CAB, Sangh Parivar has used the majority they enjoy in the parliament to uproot the bedrock of Indian democracy & Constitution.”
“It’s a rejection of secularism. BJP has made it clear that their main political plank is communalism. We must resist,” he added.
The CAB, 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have migrated to India after facing persecution on grounds of religion in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh if they fulfil conditions for grant of citizenship.
Also read: Protests against CAB in Guwahati continue despite curfew
“The move to decide citizenship on the basis of religion amounts to a rejection of the Constitution. It will only take our country backward. Our hard-fought freedom is at stake,” the Kerala CM tweeted.
In the same vein, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh said the CAB, 2019, violates the basic principle of the Indian Constitution.
“Any legislation that seeks to divide people on religious lines is illegal, unethical & unconstitutional,” Singh tweeted on Thursday.
Any legislation that seeks to divide people on religious lines is illegal, unethical & unconstitutional. India’s strength lies in its diversity and #CABBill2019 violates the basic principle of the constitution. Hence my govt will not allow the bill to be implemented in Punjab.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 12, 2019
Saying that the Punjab government won’t implement the bill, Singh said: “India’s strength lies in its diversity and #CABBill2019 violates the basic principle of the constitution. Hence my govt will not allow the bill to be implemented in Punjab.”
Earlier on December 6, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee at an event in Kolkata had said, she would not accept the CAB which seeks to provide citizenship based on religion and that her government would oppose the Bill.
“You can pass laws in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha forcefully because you have the numbers. But we will not let you divide the country. If everyone keeps shut, I tell you, even if I have to die for this, I will,” a media report quoted Banerjee as saying.
She further said, “Why will citizenship be on the basis of religion? I will not accept this. We dare you. Be it Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians give citizenship to all, and we will hit the streets and support you.”