The united protest by the ruling LDF government in Kerala and the opposition UDF against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, had created waves even outside the state. However, two days after ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress came together to protest against the BJP-led Centre, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran has now stated that the Congress will not unite with CPI(M) to protest against the CAA.
According to reports, a section of Congress leaders have expressed their displeasure over the Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala’s move to protest with the CPI(M).
“KPCC will not join hands with CPI(M) and will not continue the joint protest with them against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act,” Mullappally told the media on Wednesday.
“At an all-India level, Congress and its former president Rahul Gandhi had mooted the plan to create anti-fascist, democratic, secular front to take on BJP government. Rahul Gandhi planned it in the context of 2019 General Elections and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy were at the event where this was decided. But it was the CPI(M) in Kerala, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the forefront, which had opposed the creation of the secular, democratic front,” said Mullappally.
He also added that in the past, when Congress had started the ‘anti-fascist’ agitation in Parliament, no leaders from the Left parties had supported them.
“So, it is clear that what CPI(M) is doing now is not genuine. They are doing this with the aim of attracting the minority vote bank,” he said.
Mullappally also slammed the CPI(M)-led government, alleging that they took a double-stand on the UAPA law. “Sitaram Yechury in the Parliament has said that UAPA is a draconian law, and what has the Left government done in Kerala? They just recently imposed the draconian law on two young students,” Mullappally said, hitting out at the LDF government.
Following the united protest led by Pinarayi Vijayan and Ramesh Chennithala, the UDF had convened an urgent meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. It is following this meeting that the KPCC has now come out to say that there will be no further joint protests with CPI(M).
Meanwhile, IUML general secretary KPA Majeed, which is part of the UDF, reportedly defended the united protest saying that there was nothing wrong in coming together against the CAA.