Diverse Reactions Emerge Following Notification of CAA Rules; What Cong & CMs of Kerala and W Bengal Said?

Upon the issuance of the rules pertaining to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a flurry of statements both supporting and opposing the decision quickly surfaced.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma conveyed his approval on Twitter, stating, "Modi ji's guarantee means a guarantee of fulfillment." He commended the Government of India for implementing the CAA, describing it as a humanitarian law benefiting oppressed Hindu and minority communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

CM Sharma, who had just returned from Ayodhya, expressed gratitude to PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for assisting those who had migrated from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh after facing persecution. Approximately 25 thousand people displaced from Pakistan are staying in Rajasthan and are expected to receive citizenship under the CAA. The highest numbers are in Jodhpur, followed by Jaisalmer, Jaipur, and Barmer.

AASU workers burn copies of CAA law in Assam

On the flip side, as the CAA rules were notified, calls for widespread protests emerged in Assam and various North-Eastern states. AASU workers in Guwahati symbolized their protest by burning copies of the CAA law in every district. The student organization announced a state-wide movement starting the following day, and the Assam Jatiya Parishad urged people to strike against the law.

Any law that discriminates among people will be opposed: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared her opposition to the CAA, emphasizing her unwillingness to tolerate discrimination among groups in the country. She expressed concern over the sensitivity of CAA and NRC issues in West Bengal and the North East. 

"Let me make it clear that any law that discriminates among people will be opposed," Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata.

She said, "If you had the courage, you would have implemented CAA earlier, why just before elections? I will not let anyone lose their citizenship."

CAA will not be implemented in Kerala

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan firmly rejected the implementation of CAA in the state, deeming it a law creating divisions along communal lines. He reiterated Kerala's stance of treating all minorities equally and standing united against the perceived divisive nature of the CAA.

“The government has repeatedly said that the CAA will not be implemented in Kerala, which treats Muslim minorities as second-class citizens,” Vijayan said in a statement here. This stance continues. The whole of Kerala will be united against this communally divisive law.”

In a broader context, the Congress alleged attempts to polarize the country, especially in West Bengal and Assam, before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh suggested that the government, following the Supreme Court's criticism of electoral bonds, was attempting to divert attention by implementing the controversial CAA rules.