There would've been no reason to write to PM if Baghel had read CAA: Raman Singh

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister and BJP leader Raman Singh on Thursday said that there would have no reason for his successor Bhupesh Baghel to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, if he had read the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"There would have been no reason to write the letter if he had read the Act," Singh said.

Calling the CAA "discriminatory" in nature, Baghel on Thursday requested Modi to repeal the Act.

The Chief Minister in his letter to the Prime Minister said, "The Act is appearing to be discriminatory towards illegal immigrants based on their religious beliefs, contradictory to Article-14 of Indian Constitution. It also has no provision for people of neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan living in India."

Baghel also said that the poor and illiterate people will find it difficult to fulfill the formalities of the act. He emphasised that the protests in the state against CAA have all been peaceful.

"Number of demonstrations have taken place in Chhattisgarh in protest of this Act and all those demonstrations were peaceful. People from various sections participated in these peaceful demonstrations. People to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (SC, ST and OBC), reside in the state, and most of these people are poor, illiterate and unequipped, which will make it extremely difficult for them to complete the formalities under this Act," the Chief Minister stated in his letter.

Baghel requested the Prime Minister to repeal the Act so that 'peace in the country' can be maintained.