Kerala’s Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan has accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of “spreading lies” with regard to Congress’s position on the Citizenship (amendment) Act (CAA).
During a press conference at North Paravur on March 15 (Friday), Mr. Satheesan said Mr. Vijayan had said Congress MPs were “having a feast with their (party) president” when Parliament had passed the CAA. “Congress MPs, including from Kerala, have strongly protested against the CAA in Parliament. This was extensively reported by the media as well,” he said.
Shashi Tharoor, MP, had raised the legal objections and led the debate when the Bill was presented. MPs E.T. Mohammed Basheer and Kabil Sibal had also spoken extensively. Links of speeches delivered by Mr. Tharoor and Mr. Basheer can be shared with the Chief Minister who should at least then withdraw his statement, said Mr. Satheesan.
Denies charges against Rahul Gandhi
He also shot down the Chief Minister’s allegation that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had not opposed the Bill in Parliament. “Mr. Gandhi’s opposition to the CAA has been reported, including in national media. The Sangh Parivar has registered 16 cases across 12 States against Mr. Gandhi. No CPI(M) leader has take on the RSS with the same vigour and yet the Chief Minister is spreading lies,” Mr. Satheesan said.
Mr. Satheesan questioned the Chief Minister’s claim that cases registered in connection with the CAA protests had been withdrawn. “Five months ago, the Chief Minister told A.P. Anilkumar in the Assembly that no-objection certificate had been given for the withdrawal of 63 out of 835 cases registered in 2019. He also replied to an LDF member that chargesheets had been submitted in 537 cases. Yet, the Chief Minister now claims that all cases have been withdrawn. Many had to pay lakhs of rupees as fine. After promising to withdraw 733 cases except the violent ones, the Chief Minister has sided with the BJP by withdrawing only 63 cases,” Mr. Satheesan alleged.
“The Chief Minister is not withdrawing the cases and is speaking against Mr. Gandhi to please the BJP. The criticism against the UDF candidate in Alappuzha, K.C. Venugopal, was borne out of the realisation that the LDF will even lose the sole seat it had won the last time. AKG Centre does not decide our candidates,” Mr. Satheesan said.
He said the UDF is not interested in any joint protests with the CPI(M), adding that the UDF has the wherewithal to stage its own protests.
Mr. Satheesan said the government had not given permission to a resolution seeking to “recall” the Governor who had rejected a joint resolution of the Assembly against the CAA. “Mr. Vijayan was with the Governor then. The Chief Minister is hoodwinking the people by repeating that the CAA will not be implemented in Kerala,” he said.
