Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office said no detention centres are being built. (File)
Amid nationwide protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Kerala government today said it is not planning to set up detention centres to house illegal immigrants in the state.
Kerala Chief Minister's Office said false propaganda about detention centres was being spread through certain media.
"The government has also instructed the authorities to stop all work started by the previous government on detention centres, " the official statement read.
The statement read that in August 2012, the centre had written to the home secretaries of all states asking them to ensure setting up of detention centres.
On the basis of this letter, the home ministry had called a meeting in 2015 which was attended by top cops, the statement read.
At the meeting, a decision was taken to start centres in the state under the social justice department.
In 2016, the social justice department director was asked to submit the proposal for the centres and submit necessary recommendations. The state crime records bureau was also asked to submit details.
However, during the tenure of the LDF government, no minister has seen any files regarding the detention centres, the statement said.
Hitting out at the government, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Chief Minister should clarify if the centre had given instructions to open detention centres in the state to house illegal immigrants in the backdrop of the amended Citizenship Act.