Hyderabad | Updated: March 17, 2020
The Telangana government Monday passed a resolution urging the Centre to amend the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to remove all references to any religion or country. It also expressed concern over the proposed implementation of the National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) which “may result in exclusion of a large number of people”.
The government said there were serious questions and valid concerns regarding the legality and constitutionality of the three exercises. It highlighted the confusion and genuine apprehension among the public.
In its resolution, the Telangana government stated: “The Indian national movement was a convergence of various beliefs, thoughts and ideas. Upon Independence, our founders embraced diversity, pluralism and secularism in the Constitution. The enactment of CAA has raised concerns that by introducing a religious test for citizenship, the Act insults the memory of India’s founders, who consciously chose not to incorporate a ‘racial principle’ or ‘religious principle’ in the provisions applicable to citizenship.”
It added that “by discarding secularism and equality before law, a theocratic state may be institutionalised”. ( The Indian Express )
