The Left and Congress-led United Democratic Front, though principal political opponents have also held a joint protest against the Act 2019
Thiruvananthapuram: In Kerala, people have formed a 620-km human chain from Kasargod in the north of the state to Thiruvananthapuram in the south to register their protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act on Republic Day. The protest was organized by Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front. The protest saw lakhs of people — including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan — lining up along street across the state.
Nearly 70 lakh people turned up for the agitation on Sunday, the Left party said.
Many newlyweds were also seen participating in the protest, billed as one of the biggest against the CAA until now.
Along with family members, Pinarayi Vijayan stood in the chain at Palayam in the heart of the state capital.
A young Left supporter named Ullas said, “I am here for the Constitution, to protect the Constitution. If anyone tries to change the Constitution, we will strongly resist it.”
While the agitation was led by the Left, it also saw people with opposing political opinions standing united in resistance against the controversial law.
“I believe I am here because it’s my duty to stand up for other citizens who are being sidelined on the basis of caste, creed or religion. This is our country and I stand united with everyone against the Citizenship Amendment Act,” actress Sangeetha Mohan said.
A Muslim woman, wearing a hijab, said: “We are not here for politics. It’s not about the political party. We will live and die in this country”. A man, in between interrupted, “Centre is trying to scare us. We are all Indians, we are all humans. That’s why we have joined the human chain”.
On December 31, Kerala passed a unanimous resolution in the state Assembly against the CAA, becoming the first state to request the center to repeal the law. Congress-ruled Punjab and Rajasthan are the other two states to have passed such a resolution.
The Left and Congress-led United Democratic Front, though principal political opponents have also held a joint protest against the Act 2019. Kerala has already declared that it will not implement the National Population Register.
“I congratulate all the people who have joined this human chain. It’s not time for us to stop or to rest. We have to continue to resist all attempts to change our constitution”, Pinarayi Vijayan said.
A similar kind of human chain was organized by LDF last time on December 29, 2016, to protest against the hardships faced by the people following demonetization.
On January 1, 2019, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government held a Women’s Wall to uphold renaissance values and gender equality in society, with the aim of welcoming the Apex Court’s decision to open the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages.
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