Not feasible for Centre to take charge

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is confident that the Central government cannot, practically, take charge of implementing the CAA in states. At best it may be a law on paper, he said, in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK. Excerpts:

You were the first chief minister to raise your voice against the CAA.

Legislation that isolates one community while protecting others is, by its very definition, a danger to the Indian secular ethos. It goes against our Constitution, and strikes at the very bedrock of our existence. I had, from the outset, found the CAA to be a divisive and unconstitutional legislation. Why have Muslims, who constitute one-fifth of the Indian population and have been integral to our progress through the decades, been kept out of the purview of a law which seeks to protect Indians who have become refugees in other countries? And read in conjunction with the NRC, the CAA is designed to destroy the foundation of our constitutional polity, and as a representative of every section of the population [in Punjab], I cannot allow that to happen.

What motive would you attribute to the BJP for bringing in such an act?

The BJP’s motivation has been patently clear from the beginning. In the name of hindutva, the party has, since inception, sought to divide India on communal lines. It has adamantly pursued a divisive agenda by targeting a single community. And, now, when they have absolute power, this agenda has assumed dictatorial proportions, as is evident from the ill-conceived and unconstitutional NRC and CAA.

Other chief ministers, including members of the National Democratic Alliance, have tried to wriggle out of the votes they gave the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament.

As allies of the BJP, I guess they saw no option but to vote for the CAB in Parliament without understanding the dangers involved in such a move. But, the surge of public anger and protests witnessed across the nation, including in their own states, seems to have made them accept the danger it poses to the national unity and security.…

In Punjab, the Akali Dal, an NDA ally, is supporting the act but at the same time demanding inclusion of Muslims in it.

Amit Shah said it is a Central law and chief ministers have no choice but to implement it.

Yes, it is a Central law passed by Parliament, but it has to be executed on the ground by the states. In the absence of proper implementation, a law remains only on paper. And, it is not just one or two states we are talking about. Half a dozen states, including Punjab, have already made it clear that they will not implement the CAA. Practically speaking, it is not feasible for the Centre to take charge of the implementation of the law in all the states.

There is fear that when the NRC is implemented across the country, the damage to Indian society will be greater.

Both individually and collectively, the NRC and the CAA are extremely dangerous for the Indian secular character, and for its unity and integrity. They are both targeted at a particular community, and this community is integral to our existence and development. While the CAA is intended to prevent Indian Muslim refugees from returning to their country, the NRC seeks to throw out Indian Muslims living in this country. These are both unconstitutional moves, and need to be revoked immediately.