In Kerala, CAA becomes a central issue in the ongoing political discourse leading up to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
DYFI protest against the implementation of the CAA. (Facebook)
Kerala has been witnessing political turmoil following the BJP-led Union government notifying rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) on 11 March.
On Tuesday, 12 March, major parties plunged into a heated debate over its implementation, a war of words also broke out among political leaders as each side passionately advocated for its stance on this contentious issue.
While the LDF and the UDF are united in opposing the CAA, the state unit of the BJP claimed that Kerala will have to implement it, opposing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s stand that the state would not do so.
Several youth organisations also took out protest marches in various parts of the state against the notification. Political outfits like the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) — the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M) — also hinted about approaching the Supreme Court against this move.
The CAA, which was passed in Parliament in December 2019, came into force in January 2020 and on Monday, without any prior announcement, the Union government notified the rules, which were framed by the Committees on Subordinate Legislation, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha.
The legislation grants Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians. The list, however, excluded Muslims.
According to Vijayan, the Union government’s move to notify the CAA rules ahead of the elections is to disturb the country.
“This is to divide the people, stir up communal passions, and throw the basic principles of the Constitution to the winds. This move to divide Indian citizens with equal rights into multiple layers should be unitedly opposed,” said Vijayan in a Facebook post.
He added: “The government has made it clear repeatedly that the CAA, which treats Muslim minorities as second-class citizens, will not be implemented in Kerala. At this juncture, would like to reiterate that once again. The whole state will stand united in opposing this communally divisive law.”
Meanwhile, Minister P Rajeev, who handles the law portfolio, told reporters that the state will consult legal experts to check whether it’s possible to make amends to the writ petition filed in the Supreme Court as the notification has been issued in a matter that is under the consideration of the apex court.
According to CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan, the CAA rules notification is part of the RSS agenda to make India a Hindu Rashtra.
In a press conference convened in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, Govindan said that as the Lok Sabha elections were around the corner, the BJP wanted to create religious and communal polarisation in the country and thereby benefit from it.
“The notification was issued ahead of the elections with the aim of religious polarisation,” LDF convenor EP Jayarajan alleged.
Seeking to garner support in favour of the Left from the Muslim community in polls in Kerala, Jayarajan claimed that the Congress did not oppose the Citizenship Act in Parliament.
“Congress MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha didn’t do anything. It was like tacitly supporting communalism,” the senior CPI(M) leader told reporters.
He alleged that the intention of the Centre is to break the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the country and seize power.
Meanwhile, DYFI national president AA Rahim, in a press conference, said that the organisation has started consultation with legal experts in New Delhi against the notification. He also added that DYFI will take out a political battle as well as a legal battle against CAA.
Meanwhile, the Congress in Kerala called for a dharna against the CAA in front of the Kerala Raj Bhavan.
Briefing the media, KPCC acting president MM Hasan said that the CAA rules notification was an election stunt, and the UDF as well as the Congress would fight against the “anti-constitutional legislation”.
Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan, told reporters, that CAA ultra vires the Constitution of India and the Congress will go to any extent to protect the Constitutional values.
According to him, the CAA legislation is a direct violation of Article 5 of the Constitution (which deals with citizenship). The Opposition Leader also trained his guns at the state government.
“The Pinarayi Vijayan government says that it is against the CAA. But this same government in 2019 charged 835 cases in connection with the protests against this legislation. The CM had promised that cases, except those filed against serious offences, would be withdrawn. But it turned out to be a hollow one,” said Satheesan.
Congress leader and MP K Sudhakaran, who will be contesting from the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming polls, stated that the CAA legislation will be “thrown into the Arabian Sea once Congress comes into power”.
According to Shashi Tharoor MP, who is contesting from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha Constituency, “CAA is morally and constitutionally wrong. Introducing religion as a criterion for citizenship goes against the principles of the Constitution”.
He further added, “Throughout India’s history, citizenship has never been linked to religion. Specifying certain religions as eligible for fast-track citizenship while excluding one major religion is purely a communal exercise that will damage and divide the country.”
A key member of the UDF, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has already approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay.
Refuting the claims of the UDF and the LDF, BJP state election in-charge Prakash Javadekar, however, alleged that they were deliberately spreading lies and misinformation campaigns about CAA.
“CAA does not take away, anybody’s citizenship, be it Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Parsi or any other Indian citizen. Our citizenship rights remain intact. No Indian citizen should feel that his citizenship is in danger. CAA is not about making any changes to the citizenship of Indians. Therefore, nobody should fall prey to the UDF’s and LDF’s mischievous campaigns,” said Javadekar in a statement.
Adding that this law is not exclusive but inclusive and is not against Muslims, Javadekar said Muslims are not persecuted for their religion in Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Afghanistan.
At the same time, BJP state president K Surendran didn’t mince his words against the chief minister, as he stated, “Kerala is not something that Pinarayi Vijayan got as dowry. Kerala will be the first state to implement it. The CM will not have to worry much about its implementation, as the respective district collectors will take care of that. CAA has become an act, and no one can do anything now.”
Speaking to the reporters in Kochi, he said that both fronts are trying to deceive the Muslim community in Kerala.
The state, which is witnessing a wave of protests since Monday, also saw police register cases against the protesters.
As per police sources, a total of 180 people were charged, and 18 arrests were made in connection with the CAA protests in various parts of the state on Monday.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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