Pinarayi reiterates citizenship amendment act will not be implemented, criticizes union minister for attack on nuns

KASARGOD: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday dubbed as shameful and utter lie Union Minister Piyush Goyal's dismissal as wrong the reports that two nuns and two postulants belonging to a Kerala-based congregation were attacked during a train journey in UP recently. Pinarayi’s reaction comes a day after the union minister had rejected the charge that the nuns and two others were attacked in Jhansi by some Bajrang Dal activists and said Kerala CM was making false statements on the issue.

Responding to the remarks, Pinarayi said according to the union minister, the nuns were not attacked and were let off after their travel documents were inspected and that the attackers were ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) workers was an allegation of the state government.

"They (nuns) had been attacked in a country, where one has all the rights to travel freely, for the sole reason that they were nuns.

The action is shameful. He has justified the action of ABVP activists against the nuns and two others. A union minister is justifying the attack on the nuns, which is evidence of the RSS agenda being implemented by the center," Pinarayi told a press conference at Kasaragod.

Pinarayi also referred to the attack on members of the minority community in the name of beef.

"There was a lot of protest across the country against the attack on Muslims in the name of beef.

Have they changed? No. When they found some nuns, they attacked them."

Goyal was justifying the attack, he said adding this shows that the minorities and those who want democracy in this country were not safe under the central rule which is implementing the RSS agenda.

Pinarayi said an attempt was being made to cover up for the culprits.

The chief minister said there is a move to damage the Constitution. Secularism and democracy are also being destroyed. The Congress along with the BJP is supporting this and opposing the Left. It is being said that Citizenship Amendment Act will be implemented after COVID. Determining citizenship on the basis of religion is unconstitutional. The chief minister reiterated that the amendment to the Citizenship Act will not be implemented in Kerala. The chief minister said that the unity of the people is the strength of any country and the LDF will oppose any move that dents it.