After Punjab, Congress may pass anti-CAA resolutions in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh

After Punjab, Congress may proceed to pass resolutions against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the legislative assemblies of three other states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. This comes after the Punjab government on Friday passed a resolution against the amended citizenship act in the state assembly.

Member of Parliament and senior leader of the Congress, Ahmed Patel, on Sunday said that the grand old party was mulling over following Punjab's example and bringing anti-CAA resolutions in three other states where Congress is in power - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. He added that it would send a 'clear message' to the central government to 'reconsider' the amended citizenship act.

"After Punjab, we are thinking about bringing a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. It would be a clear message to the central government to reconsider the Act," news agency ANI quoted veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel.

The Punjab government on Friday passed an anti-CAA resolution in the state assembly, news agencies reported. The resolution, urging the Centre to repeal CAA, was moved by state minister Brahm Mohindra on the second day of the two-day special session of the state assembly.

According to reports, the state minister was heard stating the following while reading out the resolution, "The CAA enacted by Parliament has caused countrywide anguish and social unrest with widespread protests all over the country. The state of Punjab also witnessed protests against this legislation, which were peaceful and involved all segments of our society."

This is in line with a similar resolution passed earlier by the Kerala government, against the amended citizenship act, at the state assembly.

Severe protests have erupted in various parts of the country ever since the central government passed the contentious act, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees belonging to the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, and Jain communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

Several civil society members and activists have stated that the act discriminates against Muslims, a claim which has been refuted by the Centre, which puts that the act will grant long-deserved citizenship to refugees who have faced religious persecution in these neighbouring countries.