Asom Gana Parishad MLA Prafulla Mahanta calls party's decision to support CAA 'a mistake'

Former Assam Chief Minister and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, on Monday said that it was the party's 'mistake' to support the Citizenship (Amendment Act) in the parliament. Recently, the AGP which is an ally of the BJP in the state, decided to move the apex court against the CAA despite supporting it in both the houses of the parliament. 

Read: Congress leader Ripun Bora calls AGP's decision to move SC over CAA 'an eyewash'

"It was a mistake to support the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) when tabled in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for its passage as a Bill. Few leaders of AGP have supported the new law but we have been against this since 2015," said Prafulla Mahanta. 

Read: CAA: Curfew eased off in Guwahati and parts of Dibrugarh District of Assam

'Will withdraw support if need arises'

AGP's decision to move to the Supreme Court was slammed by Congress party leader Ripun Bora who asked the party why they were not pulling out of the ministries in the state as well? The former Chief Minister replied to this stating that if the need arose, his party will withdraw support from the Assam government. The AGP currently has 12 MLAs, and three ministers in the BJP-led government in the State.

Read: Assam govt to lift curfew and restore internet on Tuesday after anti-CAA protests

Speaking on the CAA, Prafulla Mahanta stated the bill was against the people of Assam and that was the reason why they were going to approach the Supreme Court along with supporting the people who had already filed petitions in the apex court against CAA.

"The government should solve the current situation. The government can't stop the voices of Assamese through firing. Blocking the internet is not solving the problem. India is a secular country. No one is above the law and not above the Constitution. When the Constitution was adopted, it was said that India is a secular country," added Mahanta.

Read: Peaceful protests continue in Assam against CAA

Read: MHA to form rules of Citizenship Act soon:'No automatic citizenship to illegal immigrants'

(With ANI inputs)