Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 4 (PTI) Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Sunday hit out at the CPI(M) alleging that recent “communal” remarks by a leader of the Left party were a continuation of Pinarayi Vijayan’s “anti-Malappuram” statement when he was the CM.
Demanding that Vijayan, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, and the CPI(M) central leadership clarify their stance on the issue, Satheesan, in posts on Facebook and X, warned of strict action against anyone who makes communal remarks.
He also demanded an apology to the people from the Left party.
“Strongly condemn the communal slurs made by CPI(M) leader P Nandakumar denigrating the people of Malappuram as fundamentalists,” the CM said on X.
Satheesan said that the “unacceptable rhetoric” was delivered in the presence of Vijayan without a single word of objection or correction from CPI(M) veteran or his party.
“This clearly exposes the CPI(M)’s tacit endorsement (of the remarks),” he contended.
He alleged that “this divisive stance” was “a direct continuation of the anti-Malappuram statements earlier made by Pinarayi Vijayan”.
The CM claimed that Vijayan, during his tenure as CM, in an interview to a national daily had insulted Malappuram district.
The CPI(M)’s “heinous” political policy of keeping people of a particular religious community in the dark is still continuing, he alleged.
Satheesan contended that despite being repeatedly rejected by the electorate, the CPI(M) continues to deploy “dog-whistle politics” targeting specific communities, “mirroring the polarizing playbook of the Sangh Parivar”.
“Both the CPI(M) and the Sangh Parivar are not two but one,” he added.
He further contended that the Left party was not ready to correct itself despite its defeat in the assembly polls.
“Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) central leadership must break their silence and clarify their stance to the public. Both the CPI(M) and P Nandakumar must tender an unconditional apology to the people of Keralam.
“Let there be no ambiguity: Keralam’s secular fabric will be protected at all costs. Anyone who attempts to peddle communal hatred will face strict and uncompromising legal action.” he said.
The CM’s post comes a day after CPI(M) leader and former MLA Nandakumar allegedly described Malappuram district as a “nest of fundamentalists and communalists” during a party event there.
The alleged remark was made while Nandakumar was delivering the welcome address at an extended CPI(M) district committee meeting here on Saturday, attended by senior party leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan.
According to the police, several organisations, including the Muslim Youth League, have lodged complaints against Nandakumar over his remarks.
Earlier on Sunday, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that the party has never made any communal remarks about Malappuram district and it has only criticised how communalism has influenced the ideology of political parties like the Indian Union Muslim League.
Govindan, speaking to reporters, clarified that it was the party’s stand that in Malappuram and in Keralam, due to the influence of Jamaat-e-Islami, members of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) were being pushed into communalism. PTI HMP ROH
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