Idea of equality in Constitution shredded through CAA, says Pinarayi Vijayan

The Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre

Kasaragod: As Kerala inches towards the polling date of April 26, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre on Saturday over the implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and said the idea of equality enshrined in the Constitution is being shredded through the law.

Addressing a massive anti-CAA rally organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at this northernmost district of the state, Vijayan attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that the ideology and structure of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were adopted from Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini's fascism.

He also alleged that the RSS, which controls the BJP-led government at the Centre, does not recognise secularism.

"Our country is secular but the RSS never accepted secularism. It wants to make India a theocracy and remove secularism. It considers some of us as enemies. It had declared religious minorities and communists as internal enemies," Vijayan said.

He referred to RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar's quote in one of his books that had termed Christians, Muslims and Communists as internal enemies of the country.

"Its (RSS') ideology was not from any ancient texts or myths or vedas or from the Manusmriti but was taken from Hitler. We saw the genocide that followed Hitler's rule, which shocked the entire mankind. However, Hitler's actions were praised by the RSS in India. They announced that internal issues of a country should be resolved by taking an example from Hitler's Germany," the Left leader said.

He also said RSS leaders had visited Mussolini and adopted the fascist organisational structure.

Vijayan said the strength of India always lies in its unity in diversity.

"All of us differ in our beliefs, languages, cultures, food and attire. We are diverse in many fields and that is why we hold our diversity so dearly," he said.

The chief minister said crores of people are worried and concerned over the CAA, which he alleged targets the Muslims in the country.

"The idea of equality enshrined in our Constitution is being shredded through this law," he said.

Vijayan said protests erupted across the globe when the CAA was announced in India and the world leaders criticised the move.

"Because none of the civilised societies in the world can accept citizenship based on religion. We should remember that even when the entire world opposed his actions, Hitler remained unfazed. The RSS is following his footsteps," he said.

Vijayan also attacked the Congress, which backed out from a joint protest against the CAA.