Cong punches holes in CAA, SC sets Jan 22 for hearing plea

The government has violated several laws with the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the new law lacks the method to verify whether refugees are persecuted or not, according to the Congress here on Wednesday.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the Act violated the right to equality provided in the Constitution.

Jairam Ramesh had filed a petition before the Supreme Court over the CAA, he said and added, "It lacks a method or a framework on how the government is planning to verify whether refugees are persecuted or not. Also, the Home Minister keeps referring to persecuted minorities, but the Act doesn't mention the term in the same context."

Singhvi said the Act needed some rules and regulations for implementation. "In this Act there is nothing like this. We have informed the court about it," he said.

Clarifying that none of the petitioners has asked for an internal stay, Singhvi said the Congress had only asked for issuance of a show-cause notice and the Chief Justice said he was issuing notice to the Centre and nearly 60 petitions had been filed challenging the Act.

The court had set January 22 as the next date of hearing, he said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court said there would be no stay on the CAA.

The Centre will file affidavits on the validity of the law and will also file a reply on the petitioners' prayer seeking stay on the Act.

In its petition, the Congress has raised three issues that the is unconstitutional, is against our international duties, and also against agreements signed with states by earlier governments, which also includes Assam Accord and All Tripura Tribal Force.

( With inputs from IANS )