In Pinarayi's all-party meet, political parties decide to unite against CAA, BJP boycotts

The state govt is mulling convening a special session of the Assembly as well as moving the court against CAA.
In Pinarayi's all-party meet, political parties decide to unite against CAA, BJP boycotts
In Pinarayi's all-party meet, political parties decide to unite against CAA, BJP boycotts
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The opposing political fronts in Kerala will come together again to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), decided a meeting of representatives of political, community and social organisations convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday. The meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram entrusted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala with the task of planning the future course of action and to decide on the joint protest. It would be decided upon on what all fronts joint protests can be organised.

This BJP however boycotted the meeting and called it an illegal one. The party said that discussing a law that is passed by the Parliament is illegal and that Kerala CM should wait till the court decides on the same.

The meeting also recommended that the government move the court against CAA and convene a special session of the Assembly. The CM informed the meeting that this has been under consideration and the government has initiated steps for the same.

“This is the time we should come out heavily to protect the Constitution and secularism. When we fight together, we become much stronger. And the country will approve this as a model. The move to divide people on the basis of religion won’t work in Kerala in any of its forms irrespective of which power centre does it. At this phase we should give a message of unity for the entire country. No law is above the Constitution,” the CM said in the meeting.

He further said, “Various agitations have been taking place, but space shouldn’t be given for unnecessary elements in it. The agitations by communal and extreme outfits won’t be allowed. Stern action will be taken against them. The intervention of such forces won’t help the healthy development of the society. But the government won’t intervene in the agitations which are just.”

“Constitution will be sabotaged when religion becomes the basis of citizenship. Then a secular country will become a religious country. We live in Kerala like the children of one mother. Here religions respect each other. The state has stopped the preparation of the National Population Register. The questionnaire prepared for NPR is scary, they ask even the date of birth of the people who are not alive. This has created apprehension among people,” Pinarayi said.

He reiterated the state government’s stand there is no move to start detention centres in Kerala.

Ministers AK Balan, Kadakampally Surendran of the CPI(M), AK Saseendran (Nationalist Congress Party) and Kadannappally Ramachadran (Congress S) were present at the meeting. PK Kunhalikutty (IUML), Kodikkunnil Suresh (Congress), NK Premachandran MP (RSP) Kanam Rajendran (CPI), among others took part in the meeting.

 

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