Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Moves Resolution Demanding Withdrawal Of CAA In State Assembly

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday moved a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the state Assembly demanding withdrawal of the contentious legislation. Earlier, Vijayan had termed the bill Citizenship ‘unconstitutional’ and had added, “Kerala will not accept Citizenship Amendment Bill.” The Kerala chief minister also announced that united front will be formed against the Citizenship Amendment Act. “The meeting of political, religious and social leaders, held in Thiruvananthapuram, has tasked me and the Opposition leader to plan future agitations against CAA”, Vijayan added in a tweet.

Kerala CM in state Assembly: Kerala has a long history of secularism, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, everyone reached our land. Christians&Muslims reached Kerala in the very beginning. Our tradition is of inclusiveness. Our assembly needs to keep the tradition alive. pic.twitter.com/2RGyRFITwI

— ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2019

BJP MLA O Rajagopal has opposed the resolution moved by Chief Minister against the new citizenship act, saying, “It shows the narrow political mindset.”

Moreover, Kerala governor, Arif Mohammad Khan who allegedly supported Citizenship Amendment Act, also came under attack from the Congress-led UDF, with the Opposition alleging he has stooped to the level of a BJP spokesperson.

The Governor, like the BJP, was trying to present a “distorted” version of history, the opposition front said referring to his speech at the Nehru Museum Memorial and Library in New Delhi on Saturday.

Speaking on the topic of “Citizenship institutional and civilizational,” Khan had said the Congress had “committed itself in 1947 to accept” the people who have already fled Pakistan and who are likely to flee because their lives and honour were in danger.

“It is unfortunate that the Governor who holds the high constitutional post has stooped to the level of a BJP spokesman,”Congress parliamentary party deputy leader in the Kerala Assembly, K C Joseph, said in a statement.

The Governor, like the BJP, is trying to present a “distorted” version of history, he said, a day after Khan said in the programme, justifying CAA and indirectly blaming the Congress for protesting the law meant to provide citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

“The governor’s finding that CAA had been the creation of the Congress is absolutely baseless”, Joseph added. Hitting out at the Governor, former state Congress Chief V M Sudheeran accused him of working like PRO of the Central government.

(With PTI inputs)