Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is at odds with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the CAA (File)
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has demanded a report from the state government after it challenged the citizenship law in the Supreme Court earlier this week, sources said. The Governor, who is at loggerheads with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's government over the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, in the state, said it was "improper" that he was not informed of the decision.
"The Governor's office has sought a report from Chief Secretary for not informing him after the state moved the Supreme Court against CAA, without informing him", sources told NDTV today.
The Governor had earlier told the media that the state had the right to approach the top court, but it was "improper" to not keep him in the loop.
On Tuesday Kerala became the first state to move the top court against the CAA. The court will hear this petition, and more than 60 others like it on the same issue, on Wednesday.
In its petition the Left-led government in the state claimed the CAA violated several provisions of the Constitution, including Articles 14, 21 and 25, and is against the basic tenet of secularism that is enshrined in the Constitution.
Earlier this month Kerala also became the first state to pass a resolution against the citizenship law. Moved by the Chief Minister, the resolution was supported by politicians across the spectrum, with the exception of the lone BJP MLA in the Assembly - O Rajagopal.
The Governor had slammed the resolution as unconstitutional and insignificant.
Protests against the citizenship law have been sustained and nationwide (Representational)
The CAA makes, for the first time, religion the test of citizenship. The government says it will help non-Muslim refugees fleeing religious persecution from three neighbouring Muslim-dominated states become Indian citizens. Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and violates secular principles of the Constitution.
Critics also fear the CAA, along with the proposed NRC (national register of citizens) and NPR (national population register) exercises, will further discriminate against Muslims.
Kerala has already put on hold all administrative activities relating to the NPR and NRC. The state has joined several non-BJP governments in refusing to carry out NRC in an attempt to stave off the enforcement of the citizenship law.
Massive protests have swept India since the citizenship law cleared parliament last month. These have included student-led agitations in campuses across the country, including in Kerala, and a growing number of women-led sit-in protests inspired by the women of Shaheen Bagh area in Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have repeatedly defended the CAA, asserting the law doesn't take "anyone's citizenship away".