Thiruvananthapuram: The Citizens Amendment Act (CAA) notification coming as it is on the eve of general elections, has triggered competitive protests in Kerala with the ruling CPM-led LDF and Congress-led UDF coming out on the streets to protest oppose the Centre’s decision which they say is anti-Muslim and aimed at dividing the country on religious lines.
Both LDF and UDF are organising massive protest rallies in various Lok Sabha constituencies across the state turning the CAA into one of the major poll issues in Kerala. The Centre’s decision could not have come at a more appropriate time for Congress which was under attack from the left parties for what they called “adopting soft Hindutva” line. Moreover, the mass exodus of Congress leaders to the BJP had also put the party on the back foot in Kerala with the CPM coining a slogan “today’s Congress is tomorrow’s BJP.”
Many Congressmen believe that CAA has come as a major issue through which the party can prove its secular credentials on the one hand and display its unflinching commitment towards fighting the BJP besides countering the Left’s campaign. The Congress has also questioned the CPM government’s failure to withdraw the cases registered against anti-CAA protestors in 2019.
The KPCC organised a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan to reiterate its strong position against CAA on Wednesday. Shashi Tharoor made a strong statement the other day saying that if the Indian Alliance comes to power at the Centre, it will scrap the CAA.
The ruling CPM on the other hand has come out with a firm stand against CAA. While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday categorically stated that Kerala will not implement CAA, the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday entrusted the Advocate General to take all measures to fight the legal battle in the Supreme Court.
Like Congress, the CPM is also busy organising protest rallies across the state against the CAA.
Meanwhile, the BJP state leadership seems to be caught in a dilemma over CAA. The BJP leaders are trying to defend the Centre’s decision and accusing the Congress and the Left of creating unnecessary fear in the minds of Muslims with an eye on their vote bank.
But the BJP which is extensively campaigning on the CAA issue in the north, does not seem to be quite aggressive in Kerala which has a sizable population of Muslims and Christians.
Political observers say while the communal polarisation over CAA could help the BJP in the Hindi belt and even West Bengal, the issue might not gain traction in southern states. Instead, there is a fear that over-emphasis on CAA could prove counterproductive electorally. Therefore, many BJP leaders believe that emphasising issues like good governance, and beneficiary schemes under Modi’s guarantee would be more effective in attracting voters in the south.
