MP Cabinet passes resolution demanding Central Government to repeal CAA

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Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday passes resolution demanding Central Government to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The resolution also demands amendments in the National Population Register (NPR).

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday passed a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought its abrogation, contending the new law was against the Constitution's secular character. The resolution was passed during the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, public relations department minister P C Sharma told reporters.

Madhya Pradesh is currently ruled by the Congress. Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal have already passed resolutions demanding scrapping of the CAA.

Sharma said the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet passed the resolution describing CAA as "against the secular character of the Indian Constitution and differentiating people on religious lines".

The Citizenship Amendment Act passed by Parliament in December last year endangers the "country's secular fabric and tolerant nature," the minister said.

"Secularism is the basic foundation of the Indian Constitution and which can't be changed. It is clearly mentioned in the Constitution that India is a secular country.

Besides, Article 14 of the Constitution grants equality to all citizens of the country under the law," reads the resolution by the state Cabinet.

It asked the Centre to not only take back the CAA, but also clear doubts in the minds of citizens on the issue, as people across the country were protesting against it.

The resolution also demanded that information sought from people in connection with the National Population Register (NPR) be taken back and only after that the census be conducted.

To a query, Sharma said a resolution will also be passed against the CAA in the state Assembly. The CAA, under which non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship, came into force from January 10. It was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019. 

Last week, West Bengal legislative assembly passed a resolution against the amended Citizenship Act, becoming the fourth state in the country after Kerala, Punjab, and Rajasthan to pass such a resolution.

As per reports, the resolution appealed to the Union government to take back the citizenship act as well as rescind plans to update the National Population Register (NPR) and implement the Nationwide Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC).

The resolution was tabled in the assembly by the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee.

This is a developing story...