HYDERABAD:  The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has become the first civic body in the country to unanimously pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). It has also urged the Centre to revoke it. Terming the Act as violative of the basic character of the Constitution of India, the resolution mentions protests that began across the country after its enactment. 

The resolution was passed by the GHMC elected body during its General Body Meeting held here on Saturday to approve the GHMC budget. However, BJP Corporators were not present at the meeting when the resolution was passed.

GHMC Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin, who urged the Council to pass the resolution, said the Centre’s plan to implement the CAA was against the Constitution. “India is a secular country and there is a clear mention of this in the Preamble of the Constitution. Also, it guarantees equality before law. These principles have been violated and hence, the CAA should be revoked,” he said.

Welcoming the move, GHMC former Mayor Majid Hussain said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi have already expressed their views against the CAA. MLC Prabhkar Rao and Corporators Jagadeeshwar Goud and Singireddy Swarnalatha supported the resolution. Mayor Bonthu Rammohan said the GHMC Council would extend support to Chief Minister’s plans and set an example to other States in opposing the Act. Meanwhile, MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, in a tweet, said Hyderabad was the first Indian city to adopt a resolution against CAA. He mentioned that the resolution was adopted after the AIMIM Corporator and former Mayor Majid Hussain proposed it, which was accepted by the Mayor.