‘Lakshman Rekha in Constitution for states’: MP heads for Governor-government conflict over CAA

On Feb 1, 2020

BHOPAL: The Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh might be headed for a conflict-like situation between the state government and the Raj Bhawan if Chief Minister Kamal Nath goes on with his decision to not implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the state.

The state’s Governor Laji Tandon has dropped enough hints about such a scenario, saying, that the CAA cannot be stopped from being implementation by the state government.

“There is a Laxman Rekha (restriction) in the Constitution for the state governments. Any bill passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and thereafter given the Presidential assent becomes a law. So which state in the country can deny implementing it,” said Tandon indicating a Kerala like conflict situation between the Governor and the state government in MP too if the Congress government stuck to it’s present stand of not implementing CAA in the central Indian state.

Non-BJP ruled states, including Punjab, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Chhattisgarh have either passed resolutions via state assemblies or else via cabinet against the CAA.

In MP, where the Congress returned to power in the state after 15 years in December 2018, the CM Kamal Nath too has made it clear that CAA won’t be implemented. The CM had even led a rally against CAA on streets of Bhopal against the CAA last month.

Talking to journalists on Friday evening after inauguration of a media room at the Raj Bhawan, the Governor, however, lauded the state’s CM for decisions like building Ram Van Gaman Path in the state, announcing to build the Sita Temple in Sri Lanka and Hanuman Clalisa Path at Bhopal’s Minto Hall on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on Thursday.

“The CM is upholding the Sanatan culture, I like him for that,” the Governor said.

The Governor’s appreciation of the CM over such decisions, gave Congress leader Narendra Saluja (also media coordinator to CM) ammo to mock at BJP for opposing CM’s decisions, even after the Governor has lauded it.