X: @the_news_21
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reaffirmed the state’s stance against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 on Thursday, declaring that Kerala will not implement the contentious law. Vijayan also criticized the Congress party’s silence on the issue, highlighting their lack of response since the notification of the CAA.
Despite being an ally of the Congress in the INDIA bloc, Vijayan expressed disappointment over the Congress party’s stance on the CAA, particularly the silence of key leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. He emphasized that Kerala will not bow down or remain silent regarding the CAA, asserting the state’s commitment to opposing the law.
The statement from Vijayan came in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s clarification that states do not have the authority to refuse implementation of the CAA, as citizenship falls under the purview of the central government.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) criticized Vijayan’s stance, arguing that the CAA will be applicable nationwide and accusing Vijayan of misleading the public. In response, Vijayan accused the Congress of withdrawing from a united front against the CAA, emphasizing that the law poses a threat to the secular fabric of India by legitimizing religious discrimination.
The CAA, which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities fleeing religious persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, has been met with widespread opposition and protests across the country.
Opposition leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, have led the resistance against the CAA.
Vijayan previously condemned the CAA upon its notification on March 11, emphasizing Kerala’s opposition to the law. The state government had passed a resolution against the CAA in the Legislative Assembly, announced non-implementation of the National Population Register (NPR), and filed a suit in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the law.
In his statement, Vijayan reiterated Kerala’s steadfast opposition to the CAA, denouncing it as communal and divisive and vowing to stand united against its implementation in the state.
