CAA an attcak on Indian constitution: Surjewala

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said here on Sunday that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is an attack on Indian Constitution.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP need to understand that the Constitution is not a 'Jumla' to be discarded at will. The constitution is our biggest 'Dharma' - of 'raaj', 'neeti' & 'karma'," said Surjewala in a statement.

"PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are using CAA as a manipulative smokescreen to 'divide and rule' in order to hide their unpardonable failing of India's economy, insurmountable unemployment and shocking suicides of the youth," it read.

"The illegal and unconstitutional CAA, in its present form, seeks to exclude Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Muslims and others based on country of origin, country of residence and religion," he said.

"If CAA is not unconstitutional, why are BJP's own allies - AASU, Akali Dal, DMK, NPF and others opposing the CAA? Why is BJP's own Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal opposing the CAA? Why is BJP's North-East Incharge, Sri Hemanta Biswa Sarma rejecting the CAA by claiming that 'religious persecution' will not be a ground for grant of Citizenship?," read his statement.

"That repeated statements being made by HM and BJP appointed Governor's statements of forcing the States to implement the CAA are itself preposterous and go against the very concept of 'Constitutional Federalism'. CAA is an attack on the Indian constitution," read his statement.