Nobody has right to object to Kerala Assembly's decision: Nawab Malik on anti-CAA resolution

With BJP leaders slamming Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for passing the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act resolution unanimously in Kerala Assembly, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Nawab Malik on Wednesday said that nobody has a 'right to object' to a state's Assembly's decision.

"We were against the Citizenship law. Many political parties have opposed it on the floor of the House as well as in the public. Every Assembly has a right to pass any resolution against or in support of any issue," said Malik while speaking to ANI.

He asserted that people in Assembly have their constitutional rights.

"They have their constitutional rights. If Kerala Assembly had passed any resolution that they have the right to resolve then nobody has a right to object it. Nobody has the right to take action against the Assembly and Chief Minister of Kerala," he said.

On Tuesday, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said that no state legislature has the power to pass any law with regard to citizenship.

"Citizenship, naturalisation are entry 17 on the Union list. Therefore, it is only the Parliament that has the power to pass any law with regards to citizenship, not any Assembly, including Kerala," Prasad had said at a press conference here.

Taking a jibe at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Prasad had said, "The constitution has a mandate -- Parliament - List 1, State Assemblies - List 2. I would again urge the Chief Minister to kindly have better legal advice."

Prasad's response came after the Kerala Assembly with support of Congress, CPI and CPI (M) passed a resolution seeking withdrawal of the CAA.