The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) are closing ranks to put up a joint resistance against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019.
As a first step, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and leaders of the constituents of both fronts would stage a satyagraha at the Martyrs’ Column in Thiruvananthapuram at 10 a.m. on Monday demanding that the Centre repeal the Bill.
The Chief Minister said in a release here on Friday that the decision to form a joint movement was made considering the fact that the Bill would endanger the equality and secular values enshrined in the Constitution. Prominent art, cultural and literary personalities would address the satyagraha. Members of the Renaissance Protection Samithi too would participate.
‘Hindutva agenda’
The Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament ‘in tune with the Hindutva agenda’, has triggered protests in different parts of the country.
It seeks to divide people on the basis of religion and has spread anxiety all over the country. Kerala had clarified that it would not implement the Bill since it was unconstitutional.
The movement is the unified voice of Kerala, Mr. Vijayan said. (Mr. Vijayan at a press conference on Thursday had said that the State would not implement the Bill since it was patently unconstitutional.)
Left parties’ protest
The CPI(M) took out marches to Central government offices all over the State in protest against the Bill on Friday. The CPI had also called for similar State-wide protests on Thursday. LDF convener A. Vijayaraghavan said in a release here that the front would organise people’s collective at all district headquarters in protest against the Bill on December 19. A decision to this effect was made by the LDF State committee.
Mr. Vijayaraghavan called for a united protest against the Central government move to rock the secular foundation of the country.
Despite the growing resentment all over the country, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance government was remaining firm on its anti-constitutional stance.
‘Destabilising nation’
By passing the Bill that challenged the plural character, the BJP was aiming at destabilising the country, Mr. Vijayaraghavan said. Various Muslim organisations also staged protests against the Bill. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has called for a hartal against the Bill on December 17.
