Centre must cooperate with states: D Raja on Kerala Assembly's anti-CAA resolution

Communist Party of India (CPI) secretary D Raja on Wednesday has opined that the Centre must cooperate with the states and listen to their demands. Raja's statement comes after BJP leader and MP GVL Narasimha Rao said that resolution passed against the amended Citizenship Act in the Kerala Assembly was "a breach of privileges of Parliament".

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'There must be proper coordination between the centre and the state'

"One should understand that India is a country with an elected parliament and elected legislative assemblies. There must be proper cooperation between the Centre and the states. Whenever legislation of this kind is passed, the state governments will have to give concurrence but there are several state governments who have different views," said Raja while speaking to ANI about Kerala Assembly's anti-CAA resolution.

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'Who can question the privilege of the Legislative Assembly'

"If states don't agree with the Centre then it should listen to the demands of state governments. The combination of a strong Centre and weak states will not work here. We need to have a strong Centre and strong states. The Centre must be prepared to listen to the views of the state," he said.

Speaking of GVL Narasimharao's "breach of privileges of Parliament" remark, DMK leader said, "I don't understand what GVL Narasimha Rao is talking about. He is talking about the privilege of the Parliament but who can question the privilege of the Legislative Assembly."

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Narasimha Rao on Tuesday filed a petition with Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu seeking to initiate breach of privilege and contempt proceedings against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He sought a discussion on this issue in the next meeting of the Committee of Privileges scheduled on January 3, 2020. This development comes after the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution demanding the scrapping of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

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