Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and retired HC judge lock horns

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and a former judge of Kerala High Court, Kemal Pasha, have locked horns, with the latter even accusing the chief minister of supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Without naming Kemal Pasha, the chief minister on Monday said that a former judge was speaking on the lines of Islamic fundamentalist outfits. He said that the former judge was speaking as if he was the spokesperson of outfits likes Jamaat-e-Islami and was hurt when outfits like SDPI were being criticised. Vijayan also accused the former judge of spreading lies about Kerala government's stance on NPR and CAA.

The chief minister's statements come against the backdrop of a series of communally sensitive speeches by Kemal Pasha during various anti-CAA protests in Kerala.

Reacting to the chief minster's accusations against him, Kemal Pasha said on Tuesday that he doubted whether the Chief Minister was actually supporting CAA. He said that while chief minister said he was with those opposing CAA, he actually supported those favouring the act.

"I don't represent any Islamic outfits and don't have any agendas," Kemal Pasha further added.

Pasha, who had strongly criticised the Kerala police on several occasions, said that the chief minister might be unhappy against him owing to his critical remarks against the state police.

The Kerala Government had even withdrawn the security provided to Pasha a couple of months back.