Thiruvananthapuram, 17 Jan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has trained his guns on the BJP-ruled Centre, alleging that its various laws and policies, like the Citizenship Act and new Waqf Act, treat Muslims as second-class citizens and separate them from the mainstream.

Vijayan made the allegations while speaking at the concluding session of the 'Kerala Yatra', an outreach tour organised by the Kerala Muslim Jamaat, which began in Kasaragod on January 1 and traversed the state, concluding in Thiruvananthapuram.

The CM, in his speech on Friday, said that secularism, democracy and constitutional values were under threat in the country as minority communities like the Muslims and Christians and their places of worship were being attacked across the country.

He said that in such a situation, majority communalism cannot be fought with minority communalism as both forces complement each other. "Instead, they have to be fought by strengthening secularism," he contended while addressing a large gathering at the Putharikandam grounds here.

Speaking at the event, also attended by Leader of Opposition in the state assembly VD Satheesan and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan, Vijayan said that having a "soft stand" or adopting an "appeasement strategy" towards any form of communalism was "dangerous".

The Marxist veteran said that Kerala has seen several brutal communal conflicts and riots in the state in the past, but all that has ended due to the strong, uncompromising stand adopted by the LDF against any form of communalism.

He called for creating awareness among the people about the forces trying to divide them along the lines of religion, race, caste or language and praised the 'Kerala Yatra' led by Kanthapuram AP Abubacker Musliyar, saying that it was a step in the right direction.

"In this era when conscious efforts are being made to separate people in the name of religion or race, such moves are a great defence against it," the CM said.