Punjab not to implement Citizenship Amendment Bill: CM Captain Amarinder

Punjab has become third state after West Bengal and Kerala which has refused to implement Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019(CAB) that was passed in upper house of Parliament on Wednesday. 

Terming Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) as a direct assault on India’s secular character, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said his government would t allow legislation to be implemented in his state.

To block 'unconstitutional' Bill

Asserting his commitment to protection of Constitutional ethos of country, Captain Amarinder said Congress, which has a majority in State Assembly, would block unconstitutional Bill in House. “My government, on our part, would t let legislation rip apart secular fabric of country, whose strength lies in its diversity,” Singh said. He said that Parliament h authority to pass a law that “defiled Constitution” and violated its basic principles and fundamental rights of people of India, said Chief Minister, declaring CAB to be `null and void’ on account of fact that it was against tenets and values contained in Constitution. 

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'Illegal and unethical'

Pointing to “divisive nature of law”, Captain Amarinder said any legislation that seeks to divide people of country on religious lines was illegal and unethical, and could t be allowed to sustain. It was duty of an elected government to safeguard cherished values ingrained in Constitution and t destroy m, said Chief Minister, making it clear that he would t let such a Constitutional violation take place under his regime.

“How can you leave out a large section of Indian population from protection y have been getting since we declared India a “sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality and liberty…”, asked Captain Amarinder, pointing out that by linking citizenship with religion, CAB would hit out at very foundation of nation. “What if or countries, where Indians are settled in large numbers and have acquired ir citizenship, decide to bring in similar legislation? What will happen to those Indians if countries of ir stay decide to withdraw ir citizenship on account of ir religious beliefs?” asked Chief Minister.

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move, said Captain Amarinder, was retrogre and regressive and sought to take India back from progressive charter mandated by its Constitution. Inste of using brute majority in Parliament to push Bill through, central government should have discussed matter with all parties and tried to evolve a consensus, if at all it felt legislation was in interest of India and its people, he ded.

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