Pinarayi Slams BJP Chief Amit Shah For ‘Undemocratic Stand’
RSS-BJP leaders across the country, who have been baying for the blood of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, are now busy threatening the government and extending their unconditional support to demonstrators indulging in violence in the name of “Save Sabarimala.”
Inviting strong criticism from all the sections of the political spectrum, BJP supremo Amit Shah on Saturday threatened the Left Front government in the state and said “if you don’t listen, and still carry on with your step, the BJP workers will make sure you will be pulled down by them,” referring the mass arrest of protesters. In the state, over 3,345 protesters have been arrested since October 26 for preventing women from entering the Sabarimala temple as per the Supreme Court judgement. Almost all the arrested people are linked with RSS-BJP and other Hindutva outfits.
Openly supporting violent demonstrators, Shah even warned the LDF government of a “heavy price” if the government continues with the arrest of demonstrators. He even said that the Supreme Court should not pass verdicts that conflict with the religious faith of people and can't be implemented on the ground.
Read More: Sabrimala: RSS Supremo Justifies Flouting of SC Order
A day after Shah’s threatening remarks, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday hit back saying that the BJP supremo’s remarks came on the backdrop of the Babri Masjid case which was heard in the Supreme Court on Monday. Now the case is scheduled to hear in the first week of January.
“Your intention behind threatening Supreme Court was evident. The Supreme Court is going to hear the Babri Masjid case. You want the Supreme Court to pronounce its verdict according to your direction,” said Vijayan while addressing a public meeting in Palakkad on Sunday evening.
“Are these the words that should come from the chief of the country’s ruling party? Can a leader of the ruling party adopt such an undemocratic stand,” he said.
Vijayan further mocked Shah, saying his "strength" won't be enough to pull down the Kerala government led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)- CPI(M).
"The Godfather of the BJP was heard saying that they will pull down the Kerala government. His physique, which is made up of only water, won't be enough to do that. It is best if he does all this in Gujarat," thundered Vijayan to wild cheering and clapping.
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The BJP-RSS regime has come up with such threats to pull down the ruling LDF government and impose President’s rule at a regular intervals. Even RSS-BJP workers have been demanding President’s rule, especially when they face a backlash in the state. It seems they considered threats as an easy way out rather than face ideological or fact-based debates.
In 2017 August, soon after the murder of an RSS worker, the RSS had openly asked for the President’s rule in the state. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also visited the family of the deceased. After that, the RSS-BJP attempted to create a national narrative that they are “unsafe” in Left-ruled Kerala. During the same period, cadres from the Left also lost their lives, and when the BJP leaders and national leaders were asked about the same, they kept silence.
In the Sabarimala issue also, the RSS-BJP workers have been arrested for violence in the name of saving custom and tradition. The BJP chief has also landed in Kerala to defend the protesters.
As per latest reports, the BJP-led NDA is planning a six-day long Sabarimala Samrakshana Rath Yatra to intensify the ongoing protests against the Supreme Court verdict upholding the entry of women of all ages in the hilltop temple in Sabarimala. The Yatra will commence from the northernmost district Kasargod on November 8 and culminate in Pathanamthitta the district where the temple locates.
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Earlier in October 2017, BJP had led a yatra in the state named as Jana Raksha (protect people) Yatra against the “murder politics” of CPI(M). The yatra, however, was an utter failure due to the poor response from the people. Referring to this yatra, Vijayan said Shah had not been able to get a foothold in Kerala, despite trying all the tricks.
"You came with huge expectations and conducted a yatra here but in the end, you had to run away. You people have no space here," added Vijayan.
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