Jamaat, Hindutva are birds of same feather, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Pinarayi Vijayan slams Congress for allying with Jamaat-e-Islami, says Hindutva and political Islamists share ideologies that threaten secular Kerala
Kochi, Dec 5 (PTI) Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said that Jamaat-e-Islami and Hindutva organisations are "birds of the same feather" and accused the Congress of joining hands with the Muslim outfit for electoral gains, terming their alliance as "suicidal".
Speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ event in Ernakulam Press Club on Friday, the chief minister said that Jamaat-e-Islami intervenes in several matters in Kerala, despite not being a traditional organisation operating in the state.
Kerala’s Muslim community includes Sunnis, Mujahids and other minorities, and a majority of them do not recognise Jamaat-e-Islami, he claimed.
Calling the Congress party's move a "suicidal stand", he said UDF voters would not be able to accept the ideology and politics of Jamaat-e-Islami. He alleged that Congress has entered into an "unholy alliance" solely for votes.
The chief minister said both Hindutva forces and political Islamists propagate religion-based nationalism and seek governance controlled by a religion. He likened their ideological approach to that of Mussolini and Hitler.
He referred to the teachings of Abul A’la Maududi and alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami had caused divisions among Muslim communities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"In India, political Islamists and Hindutva ideologues are birds of the same feather. Even if they appear to oppose each other, they have explored cooperation," he said.
He also claimed that during the launch of the Welfare Party of India in 2011 — the political wing founded by Jamaat-e-Islami — the only non-organisational person to be present in the event was BJP Minority Morcha leader Dr J K Jain and alleged that the organisation had held discussions with RSS in 2023.
He cited the Jammu and Kashmir elections as an instance where he alleged a nexus between BJP and Jamaat-e-Islami to defeat CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who eventually won.
The chief minister said that while many Indian Union Muslim League followers oppose such alliances, the UDF is attempting to please both Jamaat-e-Islami and the BJP. "They are trying to pawn the peace and secularism of the state," he alleged.
On other issues, he said Kerala’s public distribution system has been strengthened with over Rs 10,000 crore spent in the last nine-and-a-half years. Regarding paddy procurement, he alleged that some mill owners were deliberately refusing to cooperate with the government.
A new model involving cooperative groups would be piloted in Palakkad to ensure procurement under the supervision of the Civil Supplies Corporation, he said.
The chief minister said that decentralisation of power has been the foundation of Kerala’s progress and achievements.
He said funds have been allocated to local bodies with a clear development vision, and many major achievements — including the state’s declaration of being free from extreme poverty on November 1 — were possible due to their active intervention.
The chief minister said that in the current national context, protecting secularism and the federal nature of the country is crucial. The country is facing several challenges in this regard, he added.
He said the Left parties and the LDF are committed to safeguarding and strengthening secular values in Kerala.
"Our state has its own speciality in this respect and other states have recognised it," he said, urging voters to support these values in the upcoming elections. The chief minister said Kochi has witnessed a significant transformation.
Beyond conventional infrastructure development, initiatives have focused on improving the quality of life and delivering benefits directly to the people.
Highlighting major projects such as Kochi Metro and Water Metro, he said several other states and foreign countries have expressed interest in implementing similar Water Metro systems.
He cited various initiatives implemented in Kochi, including “Samrudhi,” a program to eradicate hunger, and housing projects that built apartments for families living in colonies.
He also mentioned Operation Breakthrough to resolve waterlogging, the modernisation of the Ernakulam Market and improvements in the cultural sector. PTI