Published 16:01 IST, January 14th 2020
Narasimha Rao calls Kerala govt's challenge to CAA in SC a "mature" move
Reacting to the Kerala government challenging CAA in Supreme Court, BJP's Narasimha Rao said that a law can only be challenged in SC and not on thestreets
Reacting to the Kerala government moving to Supreme Court with their plea against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao called it a "mature" move. Slamming the nationwide protests against the law, Rao said that the Kerala government has finally realized that the act can only be challenged in the Supreme court and not on the streets.
"Kerala government showed some maturity by challenging CAA in the Supreme Court. They have realised their blunder. I am glad, somebody used their sense in realising that the Centre's act can only be challenged in SC and not on streets," Narasimha Rao said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved to the Supreme Court with his plea against the Citizenship law, stating that it violates the Constitution of India and its principle of secularism.
Kerala Government Challenges CAA in SC
The Kerala government has moved the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which grants Indian citizenship to minorities from three countries - Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
In the petition, the Kerala government stated that the act violates "Articles 14, 21, and 25 of the Constitution of India" and is violative of the basic structure principle of secularism.
With this, the Kerala government becomes the first state government to move the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Act, to which several states have also raised objections. Kerala was also the first state assembly to move a resolution against CAA.
Article 14 of the Indian Constitution promises Right to Equality to all while Article 21 says "No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law" and Article 25 says "all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience".
Narasimha Rao on 'flop' Opposition meet
Speaking of the key opposition leaders including Shiv Sena, TMC, BSP, DMK who bunked the 'All-Opposition' parties' meeting called by Sonia Gandhi on Monday, GVL Narasimha Rao said that there is a lack of unity among the opposition parties.
"Lack of unity caused many leaders to boycott the meet. DMK has yet not made its mind about fight alongside Congress against CAA, and the new ally Shiv Sena has also given excuses. Many parties will distance themselves from Congress because of their hypocrisy," the BJP leader said.
Multiple opposition parties gathered at the national capital for a meeting on January 13. The meeting, however, turned out to be a 'flop show' as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that she would boycott the opposition meeting, other opposition party leaders like MK Stalin, Mayawati, Arvind Kejriwal also skipped the meeting.
Updated 16:01 IST, January 14th 2020