Kerala political unrest: Govt yet to withdraw CAA protest cases; IUML challenges Act in Supreme Court
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the UDF and LDF leaderships are united in the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the irony is that the state government has not yet cancelled the cases registered against the protesters from 2019 to 2021.
The UDF leadership alleged that when a total of 835 cases have been slapped against the protesters belonging to various youth entities, the latest protest lacks genuineness.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had replied to a question raised by Vandoor MLA A P Anil Kumar during the ninth session of the 15th Assembly that 103 serious criminal cases and 732 non-serious cases had been filed against the protesters. The protesters belong to CPM, SFI, DYFI, CPI, AIYF, AISF, INC, Youth Congress, KSU, INTUC, IUML, Youth League, MSF as well as feeder organisation activists and minority community leaders.
As per the documents with the Assembly, Pinarayi had also informed that requests for withdrawing 63 cases have been pending before the courts and steps have been initiated to do so. The CM had also replied to P T A Rahim in September 2023 that chargesheets have been filed in 573 cases. Out of chargesheeted cases, 69 have been withdrawn and 249 have been referred for further action.
Muslim League moves SC seeking stay on Act
A day after the Central Government notified the CAA, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Tuesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on its implementation. The petition contended that by linking citizenship with religion and establishing distinctions solely based on religious identity, the CAA violates constitutional principles and should thus be deemed unconstitutional. This is the second petition filed by the IUML against the implementation of the CAA
LDF lacks sincerity in opposing CAA: Oppn
Criticising the LDF government for its lack of sincerity in opposing the CAA, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has come out against it for failing to withdraw the cases registered against those who protested against the Act from 2019 to 2021. “The CM had assured that the cases would be withdrawn. He should answer why he failed to keep his promise,” Satheesan said in Kochi on Tuesday.
LDF, UDF trying to divide people: BJP
Alleging that the UDF and LDF are trying to divide the people in the name of CAA, BJP state president K Surendran said on Tuesday that it is not a political move but the party is fulfilling the promise it gave to the people in its manifesto. “Both the fronts are cheating the 30% Muslims in the state by spreading a false narrative. It is an attempt to gain political mileage by dividing the people,” he said in Kochi on Tuesday.
Cong to stage dharna
UDF convener M M Hassan, who will officially take charge as Congress state president on Wednesday, said on Tuesday that the party leaders would stage a dharna against the implementation of CAA in front of the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday from 12 pm to 2 pm.