BJP Urges CEC to Ban Kerala CM from Speaking in Poll Meetings

Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP on Monday lodged a complaint with the Central Election Commission (CEC) seeking a ban on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from speaking in poll campaign meetings given his alleged misleading speeches on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). In the complaint, BJP state committee member K K Surendran referred to the speech delivered by the chief minister during the Constitution Protection Rally held in Malappuram district the other day. He alleged that the chief minister made the speech to instil fear and hatred among the Muslim Community.

According to the complainant, at the public meeting, Pinarayi Vijayan warned that Muslims would not be able to live on the strength of the law in the country. The statement was aimed at creating a divide between Muslims and Hindus and promoting hatred. His speech is also intending to mislead the people at large. At the public



meetings, the chief minister reiterated that the BJP government at the Centre was treating the Muslims as second-class citizens and their citizenship was being questioned. These statements are aimed at creating misunderstanding among Muslims and forming a vote bank for vested electoral interests, the party alleged.

The ruling LDF has made CAA a major poll issue during electioneering. Citizenship protection public meetings have already been organised in Kozhikode, Kasargod and Malappuram and a couple of more meetings are lined up in central and south Kerala in the coming days. The meetings, which are being organised by the Citizenship Protection Council, are attracting huge crowds besides representatives of prominent Muslim organisations. The Congress-led UDF has also decided to hold similar meetings across the state this week.