The Telangana Assembly should discuss the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and pass a resolution against it to send a strong message to the country, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Saturday, 7 March.
Backing Akbaruddin Owaisi’s (AIMIM) concerns over the CAA and National Population Register (NPR) in the Assembly, Rao said the state government had already made its policy clear against the CAA at its cabinet meeting (on 16 February).
Agreeing with the concerns expressed by some Opposition parties and others about producing birth certificates, including that of parents, to establish one's identity, Rao said he did not have his birth certificate and wondered how poor people would be able to produce the documents.
In the old days, village residents used to get a ‘janma namam’ (particulars concerning birth) written by a local pandit which would not have an official seal, he said.
His ‘janma namam’ is still there, the chief minister said.
“If mine (birth certificate) is not there, how do I get my fathers (birth certificate),”he said, in an apparent reference to the new format of the National Population Register (NPR).
He said his family had 580 acres of land and a big building when he was born. If he does not have a birth certificate though he was born in such a family, what about Dalits, STs and poor people, he asked and wondered how such details can be obtained if asked to do so, he said.
He suggested that a national identity card or something else can be introduced instead of seeking birth certificates.
“Friend Owaisi said in his speech in the morning. Concern is there in the matter of CAA, NPR. True. It is there all over the country. Not specially in our state. Definitely, concern is there in our state also. The state government has already stated its policy in the Cabinet,” he said.
Rao said the Assembly should thoroughly discuss the issue and pass a resolution to send a strong message to the country as the issue related to the country's respect, its Constitution and others.
The irritating point about the CAA is showing disrespect to the very fabric of the Constitution as the constitution talked about equality of religion, caste or creed.
"It is not correct to exempt one particular religion..no civilized society will accept that," he said and claimed that the country was already losing its prestige and the issue being discussed in the UN, he said.
The state government would respond on the issue within its jurisdiction in the Assembly without fear, Rao said.
All parties, including BJP's Raja Singh, should speak on the topic and it should go to the people, he said.
Voicing opposition to the amended citizenship law, the state cabinet on 16 February urged the Union government to abrogate the CAA and decided to pass a resolution against the CAA in the state Assembly.
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