THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Revealing the faultlines in the UDF, its convenor Benny Behanan on Tuesday declared that the opposition alliance will not cooperate with the ruling LDF in further agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Instead, the UDF will conduct protests on its own, he added.
Behanan’s clarification came a day after the ruling Left deftly roped in Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala for a joint protest against the CAA in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Chennithala’s participation had not gone down well with other Congress leaders in the state as two stalwarts - KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy - chose to stay away from the event. Muslim League national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty and the RSP leadership were also conspicuous by their absence.
It is learnt that the UDF alliance partners as well as a section in the Congress felt that Chennithala played into the Left’s hands by joining an LDF government-driven protest. They felt the LDF was able to position itself as the front spearheading the anti-CAA protests in the state, reducing the UDF to a supportive role. The UDF constituents were also reportedly peeved as no discussions were held in the front before agreeing to such a joint protest.
Behanan told media persons that the decision of the UDF to conduct a joint agitation with the ruling LDF was taken by Chennithala. He said the opposition leader had taken such a decision in consultation with leaders of political parties having representation in the state assembly. However, he added that Chennithala had informed him about the joint agitation.
On the decision to go it alone, Behanan said the Congress was leading the agitations across the country against the CAA and it had the strength to conduct such protests in the state in association with the UDF coalition partners.
Behanan said that the very basis of the Indian constitution was in jeopardy following the CAA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are purely responsible for this predicament. Behanan charged that even the national security is at threat and added that the very existence of the country is at stake following these internal disruptions.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that the agitators against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act could be identified by their dress is against a particular community and this is a classic example of the level of hatred the PM has,” he said.
Behanan also said that Modi has a specific agenda on this matter and said that this is primarily to influence the ensuing assembly elections and added that Modi has always been doing this.
He further stated that in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Congress parliamentarians participated in the discussions on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and said that it was for lodging the protest of the party in the house.
leaders peeved
It is learnt that UDF alliance partners felt Chennithala played into the Left’s hands by joining an LDF government-driven protest
They felt the LDF was able to position itself as the front spearheading the protests, reducing UDF to a supportive role
Constituents were also reportedly peeved as no talks were held before agreeing to a joint protest