Ruling, Oppn fronts hold joint protest in Kerala against CAA
Raising their voice against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala began a joint “satyagraha” here on Monday (December 16).
Various leaders of the LDF and the Congress-led UDF and state ministers were among those who took part in the three-hour long protest at the Martyrs’ Column here which began at 10 am.
Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan appealed to those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to desist from indulging in any violence as none had the right to take law into their own hands.
His remarks came hours after various students and youth outfits staged unprecedented protests across the state, including in front of his official residence, Raj Bhavan here, against the police action in Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi in connection with the CAA.
Earlier, during the protest, Vijayan said, “The present atmosphere has been created by the BJP-RSS, they are trying to implement their agenda. Situation in the country is volatile. Kerala is standing together against the Citizenship Amendment Act.”
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at LDF-UDF joint protest: The present atmosphere has been created by BJP-RSS,they are trying to implement their agenda. Situation in the country is volatile.Kerala is standing together against the #CitizenshipAmendmentAct https://t.co/EqseGb39tI pic.twitter.com/AwJdxtiVuL
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2019
Kerala was the first to declare that CAA would not be implemented in the southern state. Vijayan, in a Facebook post, said, “The state has decided to put up a united protest as the Act has created concern among the citizens and it destroy’s the values of equality and secularism enshrined in the Constitution.”
Prominent personalities from the socio-cultural fields are among those taking part in the protest.
According to the amended Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants, but given Indian citizenship.
