Kerala CMO issues clarification on detention centres, says, 'No construction plans'

Kerala government on Friday, December 27, explained that there will be no detention centres in the State. A statement by CM Pinarayi Vijayan's office denied all reports of such detention centres and said that rumours were being spread to confuse people. 

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Chronology explained

Detailing the sequence of events regarding the setting up of detention centre, the Kerala Chief Minister's office said, " In August 2012, seven years ago, the Union Government in a letter to all the Home Secretaries of the state-directed that Detention Center should be set up.  The detention centre was to house those who enter the country illegally and those with visa, passport violations."

"Based on this letter, the Home Department convened a meeting on November 4, 2015.  The then DGP and ADGP Intelligence, including the Prison Department IG attended the meeting. At the meeting, it was decided to set up such centres in the state. It was decided that they should come under the social justice department and the department needed to find the necessary building.'

'It was also decided that the police department should be able to determine the staff for the operation and such centres should come up outside the police and jail departments,' the CMO said.

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The Chief Minister's Office said that the Social Justice Department had also asked the state Crime Records Bureau about people staying illegally in the state. 

"The Records Bureau has not provided any information about this.  There have been instances where reminders have been sent to the departments from the Central government continuously in connection with the earlier letter," CMO.

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Political parties in Kerala have had a united stand on the issue of implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and have held multiple protests against the Act, which they claim is discriminatory in nature and divides the country on the basis of religion. 

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