Pinarayi Vijayan and Ravi Shankar Prasad (R)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/NEW DELHI: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday strongly defended the move to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said that "the state assemblies have their own privileges."

Vijayan's statement comes amid strong criticism by the BJP, which has called the Kerala government's move "an insult to the Constitution."

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said state governments have the "constitutional duty" of implementing the laws passed by Parliament.

He also said the states which say that they would not implement the amended citizenship law should seek appropriate legal opinion before taking such decisions.

"The states have a constitutional duty to implement laws passed by Parliament," Prasad told reporters.

On Tuesday, the Kerala assembly passed a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), becoming the first state in the country to do so.

"State assemblies have its own privileges. Such actions are unheard of anywhere. But we cannot rule out anything in the present circumstance as unprecedented things are happening now-a-days in the country," Vijayan said defending the resolution.

"The assemblies have its own special protection and it should not be violated," he said.

Kerala has become the first state to pass a resolution against a law which has been violating the fundamental principles of the Constitution and it has great significance, the chief minister added.

However, the BJP leaders have strongly opposed the Kerala government's move.

BJP's Rajya Sabha member, G V L Narasimha Rao wrote to House chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to initiate breach of parliamentary privileges and contempt proceedings against the Kerala CM over the resolution.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Kerala assembly has insulted the Constitution and Parliament by passing a resolution seeking withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"The Constitution has delineated clearly the roles of parliament and state legislatures. When people who have taken an oath of the Constitution, destroy it, it is a most irresponsible act. Both the houses of parliament have passed CAA and if a state assembly tries to hijack the Act it is an insult not only of the constitution but the parliament as well," Naqvi said.

While chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states like Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal have announced that they would not implement CAA, CPM-ruled Kerala was the first to take the legislature route to register its opposition to the law.

Setting aside their political differences, the ruling CPM-led LDF and opposition Congress headed UDF, once again came together to launch a joint fight against the Centre on the CAA, which has seen unprecedented protests all over the country.

Vijayan, who moved the resolution and Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who seconded it, alleged that CAA was an attempt to make India a religious nation.

The lone BJP member in the assembly, O Rajagopal rejected the allegation, saying the Act was being "misinterpreted" and lies were being spread by the fronts for narrow political gains.

On a question regarding state Governor Arif Mohammed Khan supporting the CAA, the chief minister said he is entitled to have his opinion on various issues.

So, his views can be seen in that way only, he added.



In Video: Kerala assembly passes resolution demanding withdrawal of CAA