Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday moved a resolution in the state Assembly demanding the scrapping of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Though the one-day special session was convened to ratify the extension of the reservation for SC and ST in the Assembly and the Parliament for another decade, the resolution against CAA was also taken up in view of the the widespread concerns among public in this regard, official sources said.
While presenting the resolution, Vijayan said the CAA was against the "secular" outlook and fabric of the country and would lead to religion- based discrimination in granting citizenship.
"The Act contradicts the basic values and principles of the Constitution," he stated in the assembly.
In view of the anxiety among the people of the country, the Centre should take steps to drop the CAA and uphold the secular outlook of the Constitution," he said.
The Chief Minister in his speech said, "The amendment amounts to division on the basis of religion and has created a wrong picture about our country at the international level. The Citizenship Amendment Act has created apprehensions among Non-Resident Keralites as well. It is under these circumstances that the resolution was moved for discussion."
Vijayan also ensured the Assembly that there wont be any detention centres in the southern state.
When the session began, O Rajagopal, the lone BJP member in the Assembly, objected to the resolution stating that it was "illegal" as both Houses of the Parliament had passed the CAA Act.
The Opposition Congress -led UDF had demanded the Left government to convene a special session and pass a resolution against the CAA during an all-party meeting convened by the Chief Minister on December 29 to discuss the issue.