In a first, all mosques in Kerala to hoist tri-colour on Republic Day

india

Updated: Jan 25, 2020 16:12 IST

Amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in various parts of the country, all mosques in Kerala will hoist the national flag and read out the preamble of the Indian Constitution on Republic Day on Sunday to “promote national integration”.

This is the first time national flags are being hoisted in mosques across the state.

The Kerala State Wakf Board has sent circulars to all mahal committees and others to unfurl the national flag and take a pledge to protect the country’s Constitution. Flags will be hoisted at 8.30 am in accordance with the stipulated time and a copy of the preamble was also sent along with the circular to the mosques.

“The country is passing through a critical phase. We can’t remain silent for long. Members of the Muslim community are feeling insecure like never before. Such acts will promote national integration and give them enough confidence,” said chairman of the state Wakf Board T K Hamsa, also a state committee member of the ruling CPI (M).

In Malabar, north Kerala, many religious bodies have announced such programmes even before the circular of the Wakf Board.

Meanwhile, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has decided to form a human chain (‘Manushya Maha Sringala’) across the length of the state on Republic Day. It will cover ten of the 14 districts of the state. The LDF claimed that it will be the largest congregation since the anti-CAA protests began in the country last month.

LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan said at least 7 million people were expected to participate in the human chain. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, politburo members and many writers and intellectuals will be part of it.

Kerala has taken a lead role in the ongoing stir against the CAA . The Kerala assembly was the first state to pass a resolution and the state government was the first to move a suit in the Supreme Court against the CAA which fast-tracks citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

Opponents of the law say it is unconstitutional because it makes religion a test of citizenship. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court gave the Centre four weeks to reply to 144 petitions challenging the CAA.