Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday said India had lost its prestige and image all over the world due to controversial decisions taken by the Narendra Modi government on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Intervening during the debate in the assembly on motion of thanks to the Governor’s address to the joint session of assembly and council, KCR said these controversial decisions had already caused huge damage to the respect of India before the rest of the world.
“Already our prestige is eroding. The United Nations is discussing, International Assembly is discussing. A lot about the country has already created. How can we all keep quiet to such things that harm the reputation of the country? We will definitely oppose,” KCR said.
He said that the most irritating thing about CAA was that it went against the very fabric of the Constitution of India which promises to treat all citizens equally irrespective of their religion, caste and creed.
"No civilised society will accept a law which keeps out people of one particular religion," he said.
He said there was a growing concern all over the country and everybody is worried. A resolution would be introduced in the Assembly in the coming days and a half day discussion would be allowed.
On the controversial National Population Register (NPR), the chief minister said it was ridiculous for the Centre to ask for birth documents of our parents.
“I myself have no birth certificate. How can I produce the certificate of my father," he asked.
"It is causing concern to me also. I was born in my house in the village. There were no hospitals then. The village elder used to write a 'Janma Nama' which carried no official seal," said 66-year-old KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known.
"When I was born, we had 580 acres of land and a building. When I can't produce my birth certificate, how will the Dalits, tribals and poor produce their certificates," he asked.