The Kozhikode Town police have sent a summons to 46 political, cultural and religious leaders in Kerala, who expressed their solidarity for a hartal against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in 2019. This includes prominent leaders and activists such as KK Baburaj, TT Sreekumar, J Devika, NP Chekutty, Nasar Faisy Koodathai and the late T Peter.
A case was registered in the Kozhikode Town police station after the hartal, which was held on December 17, 2019. The summons has now been sent to those who participated or expressed their solidarity for the hartal, to appear before the Kozhikode First Class Judicial Magistrate Court. These are activists from different parts of the state, some of whom were not physically present for the hartal but expressed solidarity. Sections of the Indian Penal Code such as 109 (abetment), 143 (member of unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) and 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) have been charged against them.
The hartal was called by a group of political parties, including the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Welfare Party and others. While there have been several protests called by different political and religious organisations during this time, several parties had stayed away from the December 17 hartal since they didn't want to be associated with the SDPI. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama also didn't join the hartal.
The organisations that called for the hartal also include Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Samastha Kerala Jam Uyyathul Ulama, Dalit Human Rights Movement (DHRM) and Porattam, among others. Names of academics and activists such as Devika, Sreekumar, Baburaj, Chekutty and Gro Vasu featured in a statement that called for the hartal.
Police chiefs of all districts had then issued statements that stern action will be taken against the organisations proceeding with the hartal. The police statement said that the police were not intimated seven days in advance about the hartal, as instructed by the High Court.