Centre’s CAA Notification Aimed at Creating Communal Divide: Pinarayi
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday lashed out at the BJP-led central government saying that the move to notify the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections is aimed at causing disturbance in the country.
The notification on the CAA has been issued ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, which is expected any time soon.
Pinarayi said the move is to divide the people, whip up communal passions and throw the basic principles of the Constitution to the winds. “The Centre’s move to divide Indian citizens with equal rights into multiple layers should be unitedly opposed,” he said.
The chief minister said the notification can only be seen as part of the Sangh Parivar's Hindutva communal agenda. Granting citizenship to non-Muslim religious groups who migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014, and denying citizenship only to those who are of Islam religion is a blatant violation of the Constitution, he said.
Pinarayi said that Indian citizenship is being defined based on religion and this is an open challenge to humanity, the country's traditions and the people at large.
The chief minister reminded that Kerala’s was the first legislative assembly to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The Kerala government had also categorically stated that it would not implement the NPR in the state. A suit was filed against the central government in the Supreme Court pointing out the unconstitutionality of the CAA, he said.
Pinarayi said lakhs of people were mobilised for a human chain along the national highway from Manjeshwaram in Kasargod to Parassala in Thiruvananthapuram district, against the CAA. The Sangh Parivar is adamant to go ahead with its communal agenda without taking into account the people's protests and criticisms.
The chief minister pointed out that his government has repeatedly reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Act, which treats Muslim minorities as second-class citizens, will not be implemented in Kerala. This needs to be underlined yet again and the entire Kerala will stand united in opposing this communally divisive law.
