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War of words as ruling CPI(M), BJP spar over CAA in Kerala
The state had witnessed massive protests two years ago against the CAA and both Congress and CPI(M) had joined hands in the state assembly to pass a unanimous resolution against the act.
With just nine days left for the crucial assembly elections in Kerala, parties are in a race to rake up the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and contentious Sabarimala temple issues. While the BJP and Congress have been raising the temple issue, the Left is busy highlighting the CAA to please the minority community.
The state had witnessed massive protests two years ago against the CAA and both Congress and CPI(M) had joined hands in the state assembly to pass a unanimous resolution against the act. Manifestos of both parties made it clear that the controversial law will not be implemented in the state describing it as ‘discriminatory’ and ‘anti-Muslim’.
Addressing an election rally in Kottayam in central Kerala on Sunday, senior BJP leader and Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said the party will implement all promises made during elections. He said the Union government had abrogated Article 370 and abolished the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and brought a law against triple talaq to protect the marriage of Muslim women. Singh said the party will similarly implement the CAA and three laws to reform the farming sector.
The minister said the CAA was necessary to address the woes of persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. “We fulfilled all the promises made to the people,” Singh said referring to the actions taken by the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre to implement promises made during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Singh also came down heavily on the ruling Left front government for announcing a judicial inquiry against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials probing the sensational gold smuggling case.
Also read: ‘Kerala challenging federal structure by turning against ED’ - Rajnath Singh
“It is an unfortunate development. How can a state government initiate probe against central agencies? It is against federal structure of the country,” he said reminding the government that central agencies came to the state after CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to the Prime Minister.
The government had announced a judicial commission on Friday to probe the ED alleging the central agency was planning to implicate the CM in the gold smuggling case and portray the government in a bad light.
“This is 100 per cent against the federal structure of the country. Instead of turning against the ED, it should have co-operated with the ongoing investigation to unravel the truth,” he said.
Singh’s statement comes days after the party’s national president JP Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah, while campaigning in Assam and West Bengal respectively, asserted that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, passed by the Parliament, would be implemented in time.
But Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated that the CAA will not be implemented in the state. Addressing an election rally in Purameri in Kozhikode district, Vijayan said Singh’s statement was a challenge to the minority community. “We have already stated that the CAA will not be implemented in Kerala. The Union ministers are saying that the CAA will be implemented. But we are firm on our stand,” he said.
State BJP leaders, however, brushed the CM’s criticism saying the CAA was not at all an issue in Kerala. “In Kerala, there are no migrants from other countries. He is raising a non-issue just for some votes,” said BJP state chief K Surendran, who is contesting from two seats - Konni in Pathanamthitta and Mancheswarmm in north Kerala.
The CM also attacked the Sangh Parivar outfits over the alleged incidents in some north Indian states targeting minorities. He said Muslims and Christians were targeted by the rightwing for practising their religious faith. He cited the recent attack on a group of Christian nuns during a train journey in Uttar Pradesh last week. “Such intolerance will not happen in Kerala,” he said.
