By characterising the BJP member’s notice to the Rajya Sabha Chairman for initiating breach of privilege and contempt proceedings against him as “unheard of”, the Kerala Chief Minister seeks to strike a note of injured innocence. He seems to forget that the resolution sponsored by him and passed by the Kerala Assembly against the CAA not only breached constitutional propriety, it openly challenged the Central government’s right to legislate on a subject that came under the Union List. Equally provocative and politically incorrect was his assertion that Kerala will not implement the CAA. One cannot simultaneously pontificate about constitutional values and openly defy a law approved by Parliament.
Federalism is a two-way street. It thrives on reciprocity and mutual respect between the Central government and the States. Ideological opposition cannot be an excuse to undermine the delicate balance of power between the Union government and the State governments. Kerala has only two choices in respect of the CAA — either peacefully protest or seek a judicial remedy. Anything else is avoidable brinkmanship.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
