Kerala Assembly passes resolution against CAA

Trivandrum: The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution demanding scrapping of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), becoming the first state in the country to do so.

While Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states like Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal have announced that they would not implement CAA, CPI(M)-ruled Kerala was the first to take the legislature route to register its opposition to the law.

Setting aside their political differences, the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and Opposition Congress headed UDF, once again came together to launch a joint fight against the Centre on the CAA, which has seen unprecedented protests all over the country.

While all the members of two fronts unanimously supported the resolution at the special session and vehemently criticised the central government, the lone BJP MLA in the 140-member house opposed the resolution, terming it as "illegal and unconstitutional."

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asserted that only the Parliament has powers to pass any law regarding citizenship, not Assembly.

The southern state has already put on hold all activities in connection with the National Population Register (NPR) considering the "apprehensions" of the public that it would lead to National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Pawar reaches out to Mamata

Mumbai: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar writes letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, extending his support to protest against National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Pawar's letter is in reply to Mamata Banerjee's letter on December 23, which suggests that she had raised concerns over the imposition of the Citizenship Amendement Act.

Pawar replies saying he agrees with her concern and pledges to stand in solidarity with all like-minded leaders and parties to protest against the implementation of CAA and nation-wide NRC.

He added that he would be happy to associated himself with any plan to rise against the authoritarian regime of the Centre.

Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar share a cordial relationship and ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls had collaborated to put up a united fight against the Centre.

Dubbing Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev as a "charlatan", CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using a video of the spiritual guru backing the Citizenship Amendment Act to mobilise support for the contentious law.

In a tweet said, Yechury said the PM used "blatant untruths" during his recent speech at the Ram Lila Maidan on CAA and tagged a fact check of Sadhguru's video with it.

"What Modi thinks to be a 'lucid explanation' is so full of misinformation and so wrong on facts, that a fact-check can be done by anyone," he said.

Earlier, the Twitter handle of Modi's personal website also had a message saying the CAA is about giving citizenship to persecuted refugees and not about taking anyone's citizenship away.

The message was posted with the hashtag "India Supports CAA". It also asked people to share content, graphics and videos from the prime minister's NaMo app to show their support for the law, which has triggered protests in different parts of the country.

Scuffle in Chennai

A scuffle broke out between police and Mahila Congress supporters at State Congress Office in Chennai while they were protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act by making rangolis.

"Recently, we have seen a threat to our democratic system and the constitution. Every day there is a problem created by the BJP and RSS.

The implementation of CAA and NRC is not only a threat to the Muslim community but to everyone," Sudha, secretary of All Indian Mahila Congress told ANI.

"To show our solidarity with other people who are protesting against the Act, we organised a rangoli programme and we will continue with the protests if the leaders do not withdraw CAA and NRC," she added.

On Monday, kolams were drawn against the CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) outsides homes of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, DMK chief MK Stalin and party MP Kanimozhi in the city.