Punjab CM urges Modi to repeal 'controversial' Citizenship Act immediately

Disturbed by reports from Delhi in the wake of anti CAB protests, said Amarinder Singh

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has appealed to the Centre to repeal the amended Citizenship Act while urging the Union Home Minister and the Delhi Chief Minister to do all it takes to bring the situation under control.

Protestors had torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends' Colony near Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act on Sunday, leaving nearly 60 people including students, cops and firefighters injured.

"Disturbed by reports from Delhi in the wake of anti CAB protests....urge (Home Minister) Amit Shah & (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal to do all it takes to bring the situation under control & prevent it from escalating further," Singh tweeted.

He also appealed to the Narendra Modi government "to repeal the controversial Act immediately".

Singh on Thursday had said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was a direct assault on India's secular character and Parliament had "no authority" to pass a law that "defiled" the Constitution and violated its basic principles.

Any legislation that seeks to "divide the people of the country on religious lines is illegal and unethical, and could not be allowed to sustain," he had also said in a statement.