PM's reference to CAA protests in Kerala 'factually incorrect' and 'condemnable': Pinarayi Vijayan

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has refuted Prime Minister's statement in Parliament that extremist groups are infiltrating the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests.

“The statement of the Prime Minister about Kerala, made during the motion of thanks to the President's address, was untrue and condemnable,” Mr. Vijayan wrote on his Facebook page on Friday in response to Mr. Modi's quoting his purported statement that extremist elements had infiltrated the anti-CAA protests. The Prime Minister quoted Mr. Vijayan in Rajya Sabha on February 6 apparently to outmanoeuvre the Opposition.

“My remarks on extremist organisations such as the SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) were made in good faith,” the Chief Minister said. Alleging that Mr. Modi's statement in Rajya Sabha ‘maligns the protests in Kerala,’ he said that it was unbefitting of a Prime Minister to be part of those who were disappointed with the fact that Kerala was leading the struggle against communalist elements of both the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the SDPI.