The massive human-chain on the Republic Day, where lakhs of people beckoned by LDF, linked hands against the perverse citizenship law, bears huge political dimensions. It signifies Kerala adding a step further to its Satyagraha, all-party meet, Assembly resolution and petition in the apex court on the issue.
The human-chain organized by LDF under leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, witnessed the coming together of lakhs of secular-minded people and send a very powerful message across the country. The echoes from the congregation are bound to ripple across States and raise hopes for the people. It also demonstrates Kerala’s firm resolve to go ahead with its fight against the discriminative law.
To LDF, the sheer massiveness in terms of participants has been a proud feat. People took to the demonstration without differences as to majority or minority community. Participants in large numbers included those with no links to the Left Front. Scores of members belonging to parties owing allegiance to Congress, including the Muslim League, showed up in solidarity at the event. It is this collective pulse of the people that prompted PK Kunjalikutty to say, he will not be dragged into controversy over the event.
In a telling frankness, K Muraleedharan asked his party to take cues from the fact that large number of people who had voted him in the Lok Sabha elections, showed at the mega human- chain.
In the initial stages of anti-CAA protest, Muslim League laid great emphasis on need for joint protest. Stalwarts in Congress like Oomen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala too spoke in similar vein. However Mullappally Ramachandran killed that spirit. He strategically opposed, using the opportunity to exhibit himself as the staunch anti-CPI(M) man.
The development soon forced Congress leadership to forgo its earlier decision on joint protest. The move not only turned out to be inappropriate, but also gave rise to the feeling that, walking out has done more harm than good.
The mega human-chain, apart from presenting opportunity to be part of country-wide protest also send Congress whirling into crisis.
There is this growing feel across Muslim League that Congress lacks robustness to lead protests. On Congress side, leaders are beginning to be vocal that, participation of regional League leaders and party workers in such large numbers, could not have happened without the knowledge of their leadership.
Drowned in combative debates, Congress today lags very far behind in the protest related to citizenship amendment. Its allies too are frustrated by the party’s preoccupation with internal reorganisation and presidentship at a time when the stature of the nation is in jeopardy.
The overall political fallout from the situation is would be rather significant at its least.
