Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday compared the anti-CAA and NRC movement with the freedom struggle, stating that those who are supporting the CAA are akin to those who supported the colonisers during freedom struggle, when the people were divided communally. He said that the communal elements of today are using the same polarising strategy used by the colonial powers.
Pinarayi, who was attending the 4th edition of the Mumbai Collective, was speaking on the topic “The National Struggle against communalism,” in a session chaired by N Ram, chairman of the Hindu Group.
Pinarayi added that in the past, the movement was against the colonisers. However, in the present, our anti-communalism struggle is against those who stood with the colonisers.
He also added that the current movement against CAA-NRC revived the spirit of the freedom struggle.
Elaborating his statement, Pinarayi added that in today’s world of economic miseries and people’s struggles worldwide, these communal elements were seeking to break the unity of farmers, workers, students, Dalits and adivasis in the name of religion, he was quoted as saying in a report by The Hindu.
Pinarayi also stated that the Kerala government’s actions of passing a resolution against the CAA and approaching the Supreme Court against it are constitutionally valid. He added that the state’s ministers have taken an oath and are duty-bound to stand by the constitution.
He added that the only provision in the constitution that limits discussion in legislature is Article 211 which does not allow discussion on the conduct of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts, adding that legislatures can discuss any issue and pass resolutions as well.
The CM added that people of the country have the responsibility to defend the constitution.