CAA Controversy Grips Kerala Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections

The implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has become the central political issue at the Lok Sabha election hustings in Kerala, with both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the Congress organizing separate protests against the contentious law. Claiming that the CAA discriminates against Muslim refugees and naturalized emigrants, both parties argue that it violates the principles of the Indian Constitution. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemns the law as a dangerous attempt to divide the electorate along religious lines and undermine India’s secular fabric.

Kerala, having been the first state to challenge the CAA in the Supreme Court and adopting a resolution against it in the Legislative Assembly, stands firm against its implementation. Opposition parties, including the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), vow to protest vigorously, with the UDF even threatening to shred the law if it comes to power. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) criticizes the BJP’s move to polarize voters based on religion, viewing it as an electoral ploy amidst ongoing legal challenges to the law.