Pinarayi vs Rajeev Chandrasekhar: War of words over Kerala blast continues
The BJP leader called the Kerala CM a "liar" and in turn Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at the Union IT minister saying he is "extremely venomous"
The tit-for-tat war of words between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar triggered by the recent Kerala blast at a convention centre, continued on Monday (October 30).
While the BJP leader called the CM a "liar", Vijayan in turn lashed out at the minister saying he is "extremely venomous".
The verbal duel between the two followed Vijayan's severe criticism of a post by Chandrasekhar on social media platform X, in which the Union minister seemed to place blame on a particular community for the multiple blasts on Sunday, at a Christian gathering near Kochi that killed three persons and injured over 50.
Chandrasekhar attacks Kerala CM first
Right after the blast, Chandrasekhar took off on the Kerala CM on X (formerly Twitter) for indulging in ‘appeasement politics’.
"Dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) @pinarayivijayan besieged by corruption charges", he wrote.
Referring to the protest against the Israel-Hamas war that Vijayan participated in Delhi, Chandrasekhar said mocking the Kerala CM, "Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians."
Kerala CM questions Chandrasekhar
Reacting to the BJP leader's posts, the Kerala CM questioned Chandrasekhar's alleged communal stand.
An irate Vijayan said that the statements made by the BJP leader were a reflection of an absolute communal outlook. He sought to know based on what information the Union minister made such remarks against him. And, how a person holding a responsible position could come out with such statements while the investigation was going on.
“Those who are poisonous will keep spitting poison," Vijayan had said indirectly referring to Chandrashekhar during a brief press meet held at the Secretariat complex in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Further, he added, “One of the Union ministers made a statement that I am engaging in appeasement politics and protesting against Israel."
The blasts occurred on Sunday at a convention centre in Kalamassery near Kochi that was hosting a prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a Christian religious group that originated in the US in the 19th century. The blast killed three people, including a 12-year-old.
It's Chandrasekhar's turn
Calling Vijayan a "liar", Chandrasekhar next hit out at the Kerala CM on Monday for using terms like 'communal' and 'communalism' to "hide his ineptness as Home Minister of the state". Further, he accused the CM of covering "up his own and his government's corruption and appeasement politics that he has copied from the Congress".
Responding to the CM's remarks, Chandrasekhar clarified that he did not mention any community in his post on the social media platform X.
"I had talked about Hamas and it was almost like the CM was trying to equate Hamas with the broader Muslim brothers and sisters of our state and country," he contended.
The Union Minister said his post was "in the context of the Hamas chief being given an opportunity, with no intervention by the Kerala government or police, to address a large gathering of youth and inciting them with radicalism."
Further, sticking to his stand, Chandrasekhar said, "What I have said, what I have always said and what our party has always said is that under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala has increasingly shown a tolerance towards radical elements and radicalisation."
History of appeasement
Chandrasekhar further alleged that both the Congress and the Left in Kerala have a history of appeasement of radical elements in the state. Both of them have been turning a blind eye to the growing radicalism in the southern state, he added.
Also, he felt CPI(M) and Congress and other members of the INDIA alliance call the BJP communal whenever the party point out radical elements or radicalisation of the youth.
"They use communalism as a cover for their ineptness, corruption and appeasement politics," he alleged.
Chandrasekhar said that unlike the INDIA alliance, the BJP was a political organisation "committed to making sure India is safe for all Indians". "We want a collective fight against radicalism," he said.
Questions Congress silence
He also accused the Congress of being "mysteriously silent" about the alleged radicalisation as well as the Hamas chief -- Khaled Mashal -- being given an opportunity to speak in a protest programme organised by an Islamist group in the state recently against Israel's war with the militant outfit.
Chandrasekhar said that the only response he got from Congress was a tweet from Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden who had remarked that the BJP leader has no faith in NIA and Kerala Police. He said he has the greatest faith in the professionals of Kerala Police and the NIA.
"But I do not have any faith in the political leadership that manipulates the Kerala Police. My lack of confidence and political attack is on the Home Minister of the state, who is also the CM. If the Home Minister is unable to perform his function and protect the people of Kalamassery and Kerala, he should find someone competent to be the Home Minister and he (Vijayan) can do full-time politics in Delhi for the INDIA alliance," Chandrasekhar said.
Chandrasekhar also claimed that it was the first time that he was called communal and accused of spewing communal poison.
"I am the last person you can call communal. I have much deeper relationships with the various communities than Pinarayi Vijayan could ever have," he claimed.
Vijayan responds
Later in the day at a press conference held at the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), Vijayan said that Chandrasekhar's remarks are indicative of his particular mindset.
The CM said that he does not know what the intention was behind the Union MoS's statements, but if it was aimed at destroying the purity of the state, it would not be allowed.
He also said that Chandrasekhar was "not just poisonous", but "extremely venomous".
"He does not see that as an insult. He views it as an honorific," the CM alleged. Vijayan also said that neither the government nor the Left front compromises with communalism or communal acts.
"Our state is known world over for our secularism," he added.
The CM further said that Chandrasekhar's remarks about a Hamas leader virtually addressing an Islamist group's event in support of Palestine was aimed at lodging cases against those expressing solidarity with that nation.
"They (Chandrasekhar and his friends) are trying to implicate them (Palestine supporters) in false cases. That will not be permitted in Kerala," he added. Has Vijayan had the last word?
(With agency inputs)
