Kerala: Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala leads anti-CAA protest in Malappuram

Congress leader from Kerala Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday led a protest, in which a large number of people participated against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. Calling out PM Narendra Modi, Chennithala said that the huge gathering of people reflected the "intense wrath against divisive politics" of the government.

The Congress leader had earlier claimed that the police firing and detention of journalists in Mangaluru was a "declaration of war" on democracy and on freedom of expression. The BJP government led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in Karnataka was acting like a dictator and is trying to silence the civilians or journalists who disagree with him, Chennithala said in a statement.

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Karnataka protests 

Different parts of the country witnessed violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed by Parliament and given assent by the President last week. According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there, would not be treated as illegal immigrants but instead given Indian citizenship. The act says refugees of the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of 11 years earlier. 

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Chief Minister Yediyurappa has accused the Congress party of provoking the protests that have broken out across the country. He said that it is because of people like Congress MLA UT Khader that such things are happening. He further stated that if this is continued, Congress would have to face consequences. 

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(With inputs from ANI)