Telangana adopts resolution against CAA, NPR and NRC
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
It urged the Centre to amend CAA “in order to remove all references to any religion, or to any foreign country” in view of apprehensions among a large section of people in India.
The resolution, moved by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said members were concerned over the proposed implementation of the NPR and NRC, “which may result in exclusion of a large number of people”.
It urged the Telangana government to take all steps to safeguard people of the state from exercises like NPR and NRC.
The resolution said there have been concerted attempts to tinker with the inclusive and non-religious nature of Indian citizenship through the CAA, NPR and NRC.
Besides violating the princifrom ples of equality, non- discrimination, secularism, the concerted attempt would also endanger the lives of vulnerable groups who do not possess adequate documentary proof of citizenship, it said.
“Moreover, there are serious questions as to the legality and constitutionality of CAA, NPR and NRC,” it said.
The parliamentary enactment of CAA has created grave apprehensions among various sections of society that it is a prelude to NPR, which will lead to a nationwide NRC, it said.
The resolution noted that there have been protests across India against CAA and proposed implementation of NPR and NRC.
On NPR, set to be rolled out April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020, it said there are apprehensions among people that they will be required to show documentary proof of citizenship as well as of their parents.
The enactment of CAA has raised concerns that by introducing a religious test for citizenship, it insults the memory of Indias founders, it said. Citizenship on the basis of religion violates not only the principle of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution, but also the principle of secularism, which constitutes the basic structure of the Constitution, it said. Enactment of CAA calls for a combined effort from all Indians, regardless of religious beliefs, to protect the nation’s founding values and preserve secularism, it said.
Speaking on the occasion, Rao said the state government was not blindly opposing the CAA, NPR and NRC.
“We are not opposing this bluntly and blindly without any understanding. We are opposing either this CAA or NPR or NRC with a clear understanding, he said.