This is an archive article published on January 27, 2020
With 621-km human chain, Kerala pledges to protect Constitution
For the first time, several mosques joined the Republic Day celebrations by hoisting the tricolour and reading out the Preamble of the Constitution following a direction by the Kerala State Wakf Board to observe Republic Day.
Written by Shaju Philip
Thiruvananthapuram | January 27, 2020 02:51 AM IST
2 min read
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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues, leaders of LDF, cultural activists, social workers, Muslim scholars, clerics, priests and nuns and lakhs of common people joined the chain. Around 250 meetings were held before the people dispersed.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a human chain from the northern end of Kerala to the southern end, lakhs of people observed the Republic Day on Sunday with a pledge to protect the Constitution.
The 621-km-long human chain along the national highway was organised by the ruling Left Democratic Front as part of the ongoing protests against the new citizenship law.
For the first time, several mosques joined the Republic Day celebrations by hoisting the tricolour and reading out the Preamble of the Constitution following a direction by the Kerala State Wakf Board to observe Republic Day.
The Latin Catholic Church, whose followers mainly comprise people from the fishermen community in Kerala, too, joined the celebrations. The national flag was hoisted, the Preamble was read out and people pledged to protect the Constitution at several churches, Also, priests spoke about the importance of upholding Constitutional values.
According to LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan, 70 lakh people cutting across political lines joined the human chain.
CPM politburo members M A Baby and S Ramachandran Pillai were at the ends of the chain at Kaliyikkavila in the south and Manjeswar in the north, respectively. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues, leaders of LDF, cultural activists, social workers, Muslim scholars, clerics, priests and nuns and lakhs of common people joined the chain. Around 250 meetings were held before the people dispersed.
Addressing the human chain in state capital Thiruvananthapuram, the chief minister said the protest would continue till the CAA is scrapped. “No rest until the law is abolished. The protest would be intensified. The whole world is against this barbaric law which decides citizenship on the basis of religion,’’ said Vijayan.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
2 min read
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues, leaders of LDF, cultural activists, social workers, Muslim scholars, clerics, priests and nuns and lakhs of common people joined the chain. Around 250 meetings were held before the people dispersed.
