Kerala has seen a number of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
In the state, rival political parties have joined hands with each other to stage protests. A special session of the Assembly was convened and even a resolution was passed against CAA.
And on Friday, the state government went a step further by publishing an advertisement on dailies detailing its efforts to protect Constitutional Values. The advertisement with the headline 'We are one first, presents, Kerala as a Beacon".
The advertisement has appeared in Delhi edition of English dailies like Times of India, Indian Express, and Hindustan Times and also in all Malayalam dailies.
"The Kerala Legislative Assembly became the first in the Union to pass a unanimous resolution against the discriminatory CAA. The State has taken bold initiatives to address the apprehensions of the public. Kerala stayed NPR procedures that can lead to a National Register of Citizens. Kerala also continues to lead in Human Development Index,” it reads.
It as well presents the achievements in the state in various social development indicators and has a smiling picture of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on it.
Kerala residents have shown their opposition to the CAA and NRC in unique ways in the form of wedding invitation cards, church choirs clad in traditional Muslim attire.
Protests were also held by fishermen in the backwaters of Kozhikode. Hundreds of fishermen sailed their boats and sang songs calling for residents to join the countrywide protest against the CAA, which excludes Muslims from its ambit.
Protests were also held across the state on Monday by 'We The People', a collective formed to protect the values of the Constitution.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also the second state leader, after Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to announce that procedures for National Population Register (NPR) will be stayed.