'Born in India, will die in India': Kerala Muslims declare at an anti-CAA protest in Kochi

Kochi: Kerala Muslims took to the streets on New Year day to express their anguish and concern over passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

Holding national flags and placards which read: "Born in India, Lived in India, will die in India", thousands of Muslims hit the streets in this port city, demanding that the Modi government withdraw the controversial CAA.

The rally was inaugurated by Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal. “Kerala's secular mindset is the zeal behind this protest,” he said.

“If you ask the sons and daughters of freedom fighters to submit documents to prove their citizenship, there's only one answer: we refuse to do so.”

The people participating in the massive rally, took out from the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium here, raised slogans against the Central government's decision to implement CAA and carried photos of Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad. The rally and the convention to declare agitation against the CAA was organised jointly by a coordination of Muslim organisations, including Samastha Kerala Jamiyathul Ulama, Kerala Muslim Jamaat, Dakshina Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islam and Muslim League.

Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, the General Secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, (the Indian Muslim Scholars Association) said that India belonged to no particular religion and was everyone's home.

Various other Muslim organisations in the state are also part of the joint council which has claimed that lakhs people under different Mahallu committees have attended the rally.

The protesters, who were charged emotionally, held the placards with photo of Ambedkar and a slogan: "We are Indians firstly and lastly."

"India is our nation," was written in a placard under the photograph of Mahatma Gandhi.

The rally culminated at sprawling Marine Drive, five kilometers away from the stadium.

(With inputs from PTI.)