Punjab government to go by will of state Assembly on CAA, NPR

Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government will go by the will of the House on the way forward with respect to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).

This was decided here on Tuesday by the Punjab Council of Ministers during an informal discussion after the Cabinet meeting.

The Council expressed serious concern over the implications of "the blatantly unconstitutional and divisive CAA and NRC, as well as the NPR", according to an official spokesperson.

"Punjab Government will go by the will of the House on the way forward with respect to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR)," an official release said.

The council of ministers also expressed alarm over the violence that had erupted across the country over the issues.

The Cabinet was of the view that the matter was bound to be raised during the two-day special session of the state assembly on January 16-17 and it was unanimously decided by the council that the government should accept the will of the House and go by the same.

The Cabinet agreed with the Chief Minister's views that the CAA, especially when coupled with NRC and NPR, was violative of the preamble of the Constitution, which is the bedrock of the country's foundation.

Advocate General Atul Nanda also presented the legal perspective on the matter before the Council of Ministers.

The government will make its strategy to deal with the issue in accordance with the recommendation of the House, said the spokesperson.