Congress' Adhir Chowdhury urges Amit Shah to withdraw CAA in Parliament's monsoon session

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the upcoming monsoon session of the Parliament. Chowdhury cited reports of 800 Pakistani Hindus who were forced to return to their country as they failed to secure Indian citizenship. Speaking about CAA, the Congress MP has termed that the "ill-thought out legislation" could not be implemented since two years as it is unconstitutional.

"It is more than two years now that you have passed the ill-thought out legislation called CAA. But still, you are not able to implement it because of its inherent and unconstitutionality. That is why Pakistani Hindu returnees are going back to Pakistan out of sheer frustration and hopelessness," said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in his letter to Amit Shah. 

The Congress parliamentarian has stated that the CAA cannot be implemented as it targets a particular community. Exuding confidence that the CAA will not stand judicial scrutiny, the MP urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to "preserve the fundamentals of governance" - secularism and social justice. In his concluding remarks, he urged Shah to withdraw CAA, just like the three farm laws were withdrawn.

Congress attacks BJP as Pakistani Hindus allegedly return home 

Earlier as well, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had lambasted the Centre after reports regarding 800 Pakistani Hindus returning to their country after failing to secure Indian citizenship, emerged. Speaking to the media on May 10, Chowdhury lashed out at the Centre for not notifying the rules of the CAA legislation. At the same time, he asserted that this law was against the Constitution and discriminated against the oppressed people on the basis of religion. 

"This proves that the ruling BJP is indulging in divisive politics just to achieve electoral victory. As a result of this, the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed. This Act has many provisions that violate the Constitution. Two and a half years have passed since this bill was passed in the House. Until today, the rules have not been framed. Now, they are giving the excuse that we are taking time to frame the rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

'CAA will be implemented': Amit Shah 

During his recent visit to West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 5 assured that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be brought after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. He also slammed the Trinamool Congress for spreading rumours that the CAA will not be implemented. He averred that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee "wants infiltration", but maintained that "CAA will be a reality."

"TMC is spreading rumours about CAA, that it won't be implemented on ground, but I would like to say that we'll implement CAA on the ground the moment COVID-19 wave ends...Mamata Didi wants infiltration...CAA was, is and will be a reality," said Amit Shah 

Image: ANI