Published 18:35 IST, January 21st 2020
Mamata Banerjee to walk the talk; will move anti-CAA resolution, after Kerala & Punjab
After Kerala and Punjab, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday has announced that West Bengal will also pass an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act
Advertisement
After Kerala and Punjab, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday has announced that West Bengal will also pass an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Before leaving for her north Bengal tour, Banerjee spoke to media and said that West Bengal assembly will also pass the resolution.
She said: "We have already passed a resolution against NPR three to four months ago. As for CAA, we will adopt a resolution within three to four days."
Advertisement
Earlier on Monday, she had urged north-east states to stall the national population register (NPR) updation process. Moreover, she advised all states including those ruled by BJP to read the law before starting the process in their states and to pass anti-CAA resolutions.
Banerjee has been leading umpteen rallies opposing Centre's CAA, NRC, NPR. However, she chose to stay away from anti-CAA meet called by Congress. Earlier, during Prime Minister Modi's Kolkata visit, she met him and asked him to take back CAA. Soon after she was seen in an anti-CAA protest, only to be back to meet the Prime Minister in another event. However, she chose to skip Port trust event before which the PM in Belur Math spoke in favour of CAA.
Advertisement
Bengal stays NPR
On December 16, West Bengal government stayed the preparation/updation of the National population register (NPR) process in the state, directing the Census cell that no census activities will be taken up without clearance from the West Bengal government. Following Bengal, Kerala too stalled the process. West Bengal also skipped the Congress' all Opposition party meet on CAA and the Centre's NPR meeting. Several other states like Rajasthan, Telangana, Maharashtra are mulling to stay the process or not.
Advertisement
Punjab, Kerala pass anti-CAA resolutions
The Kerala government earlier this week moved the Supreme Court against the CAA, seeking to declare it “violative of the principles of equality, freedom, and secularism enshrined in the Constitution”. On its heels, the Punjab government too passed a resolution demanding to scrap the contentious law. Next, Rajasthan has declared it will pass a resolution against the law on January 24, the first day of its next session. Several states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, and other non-BJP states are mulling the same, while openly opposing CAA-NRC-NPR.
Advertisement
Rajasthan to pass Anti-CAA resolution
The Congress-ruled Rajasthan has decided to bring in a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the budget session of the state assembly beginning on 24 January. Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal said the Assembly session will begin on 24 January.
Maharashtra mulling over it?
The Maha Vikas Agadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra is also considering to move a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in the state Assembly. Speaking to news agency ANI, Congress spokesperson Raju Waghmare said, "Our senior party leader Balasaheb Thorat has also shared his stand on the CAA. Even Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that we are against the CAA. As far as the resolution against CAA is concerned, our senior leaders of MVA will sit together and decide."
Updated 18:35 IST, January 21st 2020