CAA stir: Jamia's anti-CAA activist unwelcome in Kerala

Ayesha Renna, a 22-year history student of Jamia Millia Islamia University, who bravely confronted the police action on the anti-CAA stir by Jamia students in Delhi, is an unwelcome person at anti-CAA protests in her native place in Kerala.

Ayesha Renna has been asked to keep off from a protest meeting against CAA initiated by the local Congress workers at her native place in Malappuram district in North Kerala on Sunday allegedly by succumbing to pressure from local CPM workers.

Ayesha earlier faced protest and threats from the local CPM workers after she criticised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the arrest of youths in Kerala for taking part in anti-CAA protest. Even as some CPM workers asked Ayesha to tender an apology, she did not concede and this had further provoked the local CPM workers.

The Vazhakkad grama panchayat on the rural parts of Malappuram district, which is being ruled by Congress-led front, initiated the anti-CAA protest on Sunday. Ayesha was also invited to the event. But the CPM members of the panchayat insisted that they would boycott the event if the Ayesha participated. Hence the Congress leaders asked Ayesha to keep off from the event.

The panchayat president Jameela K M of the Indian Union Muslim League, which is a coalition partner of Congress, told DH that Ayeesha was asked to keep off to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. Moreover she was also hospitalised as she was unwell.

However, former panchayat president and a CPM supporter Hajara Umma said that the protest of Ayesha against the Kerala government could not be accepted and the police arrested those who destroyed public property during anti-CAA stirs. Hence we conveyed our unwillingness to join a protest along with Ayesh, she said.

Ayesha was not available for her comments on the issue.

Congress Malappuram district president V V Prakash maintained ignorance about the incident. He said that the Congress dstrict leadership wanted Ayesha's participation in anti-CAA stirs in the district. But she could not participate as she was unwell.