The Punjab government on Friday passed a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state assembly, news agencies reported. The resolution, urging the Centre to repeal CAA, was moved by state minister Brahm Mohindra on the second day of the two-day special session of the state assembly.

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According to reports, the state minister was heard stating the following while reading out the resolution, "The CAA enacted by Parliament has caused countrywide anguish and social unrest with widespread protests all over the country. The state of Punjab also witnessed protests against this legislation, which were peaceful and involved all segments of our society."

This is in line with a similar resolution passed earlier by the Kerala government, against the amended citizenship act, at the state assembly.

Severe protests have erupted in various parts of the country ever since the central government passed the contentious act, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees belonging to the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, and Jain communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

Several civil society members and activists have stated that the act discriminates against Muslims, a claim which has been refuted by the Centre, which puts that the act will grant long-deserved citizenship to refugees who have faced religious persecution in these neighbouring countries.