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Kerala shutdown against citizenship act largely peaceful, stones pelting reported in some areas
Except for stray incidents of stone-pelting, the shutdown has been reported to be peaceful so far. Government vehicles plied normally but attendance was poor in many government offices and educational institutions.
The dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by the Joint Action Council, a group of Muslim outfits, in Kerala on Tuesday to protest the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) remained largely peaceful.
More than 300 activists of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India, were taken into custody in north Kerala.
Except for stray incidents of stone-pelting, the shutdown has been reported to be peaceful so far. Government vehicles plied normally but attendance was poor in many government offices and educational institutions.
The state’s education department has said all schools and colleges will remain open as usual.
The Muslim League and many other political parties have distanced themselves from the shutdown, saying it will only benefit supporters of the citizenship act.
However, in a first, the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress have announced a joint agitation against the CAA.
Kerala’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed the joint protest organised by ruling Left Democratic Front and Congress-led United Democratic Front in the state capital on Monday.
“The RSS has been trying its best to covert the country into a Hindu rashtra. The latest law is aimed at establishing its design. India is a secular nation and believers of all religions and atheists have a place in this country,” he said reiterating Kerala will not implement the new law.
Pinarayi Vijayan was among the first chief minister to declare that his state would not implement the new citizenship law which it considers to be “unconstitutional”. Punjab, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are among others.
Police have said the shutdown was illegal and that protesters will not be allowed to block vehicles and force shopkeepers to shut their establishments.
State’s director general of police Lokanth Behra said there was a ruling by Kerala High Court that at least seven days’ notice was needed for a shutdown and the latest shutdown was against it.
Protest rallies were held on Monday in many parts of the state condemning the police action on students of Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. Train services were disrupted in Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thiruvalla after protesters blocked railway tracks.
The act provides for citizenship to non-Muslim refugees of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution and arrived in India until December 31, 2014.
