It's state's call to implement laws: Maha HM Anil Deshmukh at CAA rally

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday said that laws might be made by the Central government but their implementation is solely in the hands of the state government, two days after the Centre notified the new citizenship law.

Speaking at a protest rally organised by 'We the Citizens of India' in Nagpur, Deshmukh said, "In Maharashtra, we have our government and though the laws are made by the Central government, whether it will be implemented or not is in the hands of state government".

The Centre had issued a gazette notification announcing that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), under which non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship, will come into force from January 10.

The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11. Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut of Congress, who also took part in the rally, said the state would not implement the CAA.

"However, much they (Centre) may try, the Maharashtra government will not allow this law (CAA) to be implemented in the state," Raut said.

The new Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government comprises the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress.

Home minister Deshmukh further said that leaders like NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had opposed divisive moves like CAA, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register in Parliament.

In a swipe at the BJP, Deshmukh said, "Some powers having majority in Parliament are doing this work, the people who were never seen during the freedom struggle. Hindus and Muslims have lived in brotherhood in India and have supported each other".

He alleged the Centre was bringing in such laws to create "divisions" among Hindus and Muslims in the country.

Raut too condemned the CAA, NRC and NPR, and said they were aimed at dividing the country and its people. He said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi was leading the fight against these divisive laws and people of the country were with her.