Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a meeting of representatives of political parties and community and social organisations to discuss the apprehensions that people have regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act.
"It's against the backdrop of strong apprehensions that the Citizenship Amendment Act created among people that the meeting has been convened," says a statement from the Chief Minister's office.
The meeting will be held at Mascot hotel Thiruvananthapuram on December 29. The Chief Minister in a letter sent to the representatives in this regard said that determining citizenship on the basis of religion is in contradiction to the concept of equal rights and secularism.
"It was under these circumstances that a united hunger strike was organised in Thiruvanananthapuram against the amendment that divides people. The secular environment in the state should be strengthened," the letter says.
Pinarayi Vijayan has been firm on his stand that the Citizenship Amendment Act won't be implemented in the state. However, constitutional experts say that states do not have much of a role to play in its implementation.
Pinarayi has also issued an order staying all activities connected to the updation of the National Population Register (NPR) in the state.