The Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit staged protests across various districts of Kerala, demanding the immediate expulsion of Pakistani citizens residing in the state. The party accused the Kerala government of adopting a lenient stance on the issue and failing to implement the directives of the central government.
Addressing the protest in calicut, BJP Kerala State General Secretary MT Ramesh said that the state government was not taking the matter seriously and called for the isolation and expulsion of Pakistani nationals. He criticised the district administrations for its inaction despite receiving instructions from the central government. Ramesh, however, clarified that he did not believe the District Collectors were acting with any personal interest, stating that the official was merely protecting the interests of the state government. He questioned the political motives behind the government’s approach, asking, “What kind of politics is the government pursuing through this?”
Government sources say, 104 Pakistani citizens are currently residing in Kerala. Ramesh demanded to know whether proper investigations had been conducted to verify their whereabouts and who was enabling them to remain hidden. He strongly criticised what he termed as the Kerala government’s “anti-national” stance on the issue.
However, when the Home Ministry issued an order for the expulsion of Pakistani nationals in April, the Kerala government itself confirmed the presence of 104 Pakistani nationals in the state. Despite this, the state government has failed to take any action, allegedly due to pressure from religious Islamist groups in the state.
