In Kerala’s Muslim-majority areas, CAA, UCC at heart of poll campaign

In the Muslim-dominated areas of northern Kerala, the mornings and afternoons in the month of Ramzan tend to be quiet, with fewer people on the streets. Coupled with the scorching sun and temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in certain pockets, the campaign for the Lok Sabha election in the Malabar area isn’t as lively as it could have been, at least during midday.

The first major public event The Federal witnessed during our north Kerala visit was an Iftar feast organized by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) at Koodathayi in Kozhikode. Elamaram Kareem, the LDF candidate for Kozhikode constituency, expressed confidence in winning this time after his party’s three consecutive defeats since 2009.

Confident Left

“We are emphasizing that this is the most crucial parliamentary election the country has ever witnessed, and it’s imperative that the LDF candidates win this one to safeguard our Constitution and even democracy itself,” said Kareem. “The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed Uniform Civil Code, among other issues, will all be discussed, and people are well aware who is leading the resistance against the BJP’s authoritarian and divisive rule.”

From the moment of its notification, the CAA has taken centre stage in the election campaign in Kerala, with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its youth wing, the Democratic Youth Front of India (DYFI), organizing night marches across the state. United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates joined in, and the state has seen huge protest rallies against the act daily.

Blasting CAA

“The CAA is undoubtedly one of the major political issues in this election campaign. We were very prompt in condemning the act, and the UDF has already organized several anti-CAA protests, including night marches in the constituency. The LDF, especially the CPI(M), is attempting to leverage CAA even against the Congress. Additionally, the chief minister is spreading misinformation... However, people are well aware of the facts,” said Shafi Parambil, the UDF candidate of Vadakara constituency in Kozhikode district.

Not only the candidates or leaders who lead the campaign, common voters of Kerala are well aware of the implications of the CAA and NRC.

Ordinary voices

Usha and Deepa, the Haritha Karma Sena (Green Action Force, a professional team of women mainly from the Kudumbashree project who are assigned with the responsibility of waste management in the state) workers we encountered at Ponnani, weren’t particularly avid followers of politics. They were aware of the upcoming elections and had heard about some schemes of the Narendra Modi government. However, both were well-informed about the CAA and staunchly opposed it.

“We’re all living together like siblings in this neighbourhood. We don’t see differences between Hindus and Muslims. But if there’s an act that divides us based on religion, we don’t support it, and we won’t vote for those who support such an act,” said Deepa.

Added Usha: “There are numerous concerns about welfare pension, development activities, and even waste management. However, above all, something that divides people based on their religion is more significant than any of these issues.”

Muslim awareness

Muslim organisations, who are vigilant and attuned to the political implications of the CAA, are proceeding cautiously. Both the non-BJP fronts are attempting to capitalize on the anti-CAA protests for their own gains.

“The CAA is not merely a legislation that affects Muslims but also all vulnerable sections. Moreover, the CAA and the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) could be detrimental to the entire nation. As for political parties in Kerala, they are unanimously opposed to these, especially the IUML (Indian Union Muslim League), which is contesting for the UDF in the two constituencies of Malappuram district,” said Naushad Chettipadi, a district-level leader of the SKSSF, the student wing of a prominent Sunni faction of Kerala.

“However, the Congress’ national stance is somewhat concerning. Not only is there a soft approach towards the CAA, but the trend of leaders aligning with the BJP is alarming. While Anil Antony’s defection to the BJP didn’t raise many eyebrows, leaders like Padmaja switching allegiance is a significant matter,” added Noushad.

Left strategy

The CPI(M) and the LDF are relying on the unrest and dissatisfaction among the people with the IUML faction within the UDF. The Left’s selection of KS Hamza, a former IUML leader as the candidate for the Ponnani constituency, is a part of this strategy.

Although the Left does not believe it could surpass IUML candidates in their strongholds, the Marxists hope that dissatisfaction among young Muslim voters could impact other seats where the Congress is contesting.

Widening support

“There is a noticeable shift among the people. In the past, we would often skip some houses during campaign, assuming they were staunch supporters of other parties. However, this time around, we have encountered women from such households asking us why we don’t distribute our pamphlets there. The rift among the Sunni faction is definitely a factor, but its effect on the outcome of the election is unclear. However, we are quite confident that the resistance we have shown against the CAA has instilled a sense of confidence among the common people, and we are banking on it. It paid off in the last Assembly elections, and we hope it will do so again,” says PK Khaleemuddin, a CPI(M) leader in Ponnani who is a member of the Calicut University Senate.

The Left parties have been calculatedly raising issues related to Muslim minorities, from Gaza attacks to the UCC, garnering a sort of affection from the community.

Congress manifesto

The Congress election manifesto has provided another shot in the arm for the LDF as it doesn’t mention the CAA or NRC. This decision has drawn widespread criticism from both Left-leaning circles and minority communities.

“The Congress has turned a blind eye to the most crucial issue the country is facing. In fact, they are fast losing their credentials as the Congress. Even though we are political opponents, the colour change the party is undergoing now is not at all comforting,” says KV Abdulkhader, a CPI(M) leader and a former three-time MLA of Guruvayur.

KC Venugopal, the AICC general secretary who is the candidate from Alappuzha constituency, brushed aside the criticism but it has not gone well with the critics.

Embarrassing Congress

“The CAA isn’t something we needed to spell out in the manifesto. There are many divisive acts passed by the BJP government, and we have promised to review all of them. Don’t expect to find everything you want in our manifesto. Our stance is clear if you read it thoroughly,” Venugopal told reporters.

The Social Democratic Party of India, the political arm of the proscribed organization Popular Front of India, extending their support to the UDF has put the Congress-led front in a dilemma, leading them to reject the backing of the identity-based party.

Poor response

The local workers of the UDF, particularly IUML workers in Kozhikode district, admitted to not receiving positive vibes from the ground. They did not conceal their concerns when speaking to The Federal.

“It is undeniable that the LDF is slightly ahead of us in organizing anti-CAA protests across the state. Although we are working to narrow that gap by also organizing protests, we do face our own limitations. We sense on the ground that ordinary people are leaning slightly towards them. The division within the Sunni faction Samasta is also a cause for concern,” said Haris Ambayathode, a panchayat general secretary of the IUML in the Koduvally Assembly segment.

“This is the first time we are encountering such a situation. However, we are confident that after Eid we can regain the trust of the common people,” he added.

UDF assertion

The UDF leadership says they are attempting to expose the LDF and CPI(M), alleging insincerity in addressing minority issues, including the CAA. They assert that the communist support for minorities is a political ploy. They claim that cases against CAA protesters from 2019 have not been withdrawn despite government promises and accuse the Left government of colluding with the Modi government.

UDF leaders say the recent acquittal of three RSS men in a controversial murder case of a young Muslim cleric in Kasargod is an evidence of the alleged nexus between the CPI(M) and the BJP/RSS, using the observations made by the trial court against the prosecution. Islamist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami has also rallied behind the UDF in the matter.

“The verdict in the Riyas Moulavi murder case in Kasargod, acquitting all the RSS workers, has worked to our advantage. We will hold the government accountable for this,” said Haris Ambayathode.

IUML argument

OP Samad, another IUML leader of Thamarassery in Kozhikode, said: “We are campaigning to highlight that the CPI(M) lacks sincerity in opposing the atrocities against minorities. We cannot blame Congress for being cautious about sensitive issues that polarize; it’s the reality in northern India. We need to prioritize reclaiming our country first before we can criticise fellow parties.”

Despite the campaign not reaching its usual intensity due to Ramzan and the scorching summer, campaigning in northern Kerala is predominantly focused on minority issues. However, the UDF has been attempting to raise issues such as the failure of the state government and political violence led by the CPI(M). Emotional issues ranging from the CAA to UCC have taken centrestage, and they are expected to peak when the campaign becomes more active, especially after the Eid celebrations.