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In Kerala, Congress, CPI(M) to jointly protest against new citizenship law
After Friday prayers many Muslim organizations have taken out processions in various parts of the state against the legislation. Big rallies were held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kasargode. The Social Democratic Party of India, the political wing of the Popular Front of India, has announced a statewide shutdown on December 17.
Amid countrywide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2019, in Kerala; the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front and the ruling Left Democratic Front on Friday decided to come together to launch a joint agitation against the new law.
On Monday, a day-long dharna will be organized before the martyrs’ column in the state capital which will be addressed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Announcing this, Chennithala said he will also move a petition against the new law in the Supreme Court.
“I talked to the CM and agreed to his suggestion for a joint movement. We will not allow the BJP government’s plan to convert the country into a theocratic nation. The latest law is unconstitutional and against the spirit of secularism,” he said adding the government should see the mounting protests and scrap the CAB at the earliest.
After Friday prayers many Muslim organizations have taken out processions in various parts of the state against the legislation. Big rallies were held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kasargode. The Social Democratic Party of India, the political wing of the Popular Front of India, has announced a statewide shutdown on December 17.
The Chief Minister had made it clear that the state will not implement the new law. He said the state will oppose the law and it will not tolerate any discrimination on the basis of religion. “The bill is a ploy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to divide the nation on the basis of religion. In Kerala, nobody has to feel any apprehension in this regard. We will not implement the lopsided law which is meant to divide people,” he had said.
The BJP has spoken out against the CM’s statement. “How can he flout the oath he had taken while assuming power?” asked BJP’s general secretary K Surendran.