Anti-CAA stir continues in Kerala; Black flags waved at Muraleedharan

Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode, Dec 24: As anti-CAA protests continue across Kerala, Union Minister V Muraleedharan and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa were shown black flags by students' outfits on Tuesday, even as various Muslim outfits took out a march to Raj Bhavan here.

A group of activists of Students Federation of India (SFI), the students' wing of the ruling CPI(M), waved black flags at Muraleedhran when he came to attend a function at the Town Hall in Kozhikode.

Though police personnel immediately arrested and removed the protesters using force from inside the hall, they continued to raise slogans against CAA and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

However, the union minister later told reporters that the Centre has no plans to implement the National Register for Citizens (NRC) in any part of the country other than Assam.

"The Centre is implementing the NRC in Assam as the Supreme Court has ordered to do so. No discussion has been held so far to implement it in any other parts of the country... and the government has no plan for that," Muraleedharan said.

When asked about the police actions, including firing against the protesters, the minister said it was natural that such things would happen when there was violence.

Earlier in the day, three activists of the Youth Congress waved black flags at Karanataka Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa, as he arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport to board a flight to Kannur.

He arrived at the state capital last evening to offer prayers at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple here.

The activists, who were standing near the parking area, waved black flags at Yeddiyurappa and shouted "go back" as his motorcade reached the airport.

The three were immediately arrested and removed, police said.

Black flags were also shown to the Chief minister at two places in Kannur.

Police had taken into custody at least 20 activists of the Youth Congress, for allegedly attempting to show black flags to the Karnataka Chief minister in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

Hundreds of people, under the banner of Muslim Coordination Committee, took out a protest march to Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor here.

Holding placards and banners stating "Protect Secularism" and "No CAA... No NRC", the protesters including children squatted on the road and raised slogans against the Centre and the Governor Arif Mohammed Khan who repeatedly voiced support to the Act.

Youth League workers continued to lay siege to post offices in several places including in Kasaragode and Kannur.

Their head post office march and dharna turned violent in Kozhikode on Monday.