UDF, Satheesan playing ''communal politics'': Minister Saji Cherian

Alappuzha (Kerala), Jan 18 (PTI) Minister Saji Cherian on Sunday accused the UDF and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, of "indulging in communal and divisive politics." Speaking to reporters, Cherian said it was the CPI(M) and the LDF that had taken a firm stand against communalism in the state.

He added that the CPI(M) had demonstrated an alternative governance model to the country through its approach here.

Cherian said, "No communal riots had occurred in the state over the past 10 years." "When AK Antony was the chief minister, the Marad riots took place. Communal clashes were reported in Alappuzha and Vizhinjam during the UDF rule. While several communal riots occurred under the UDF, no such incidents have taken place in the last 10 years, including during the tenure of the V S Achuthanandan government," he said.

The riots occurred in 2002 and 2003 at Marad in Kozhikode, in which members of both the Hindu and Muslim communities were killed.

He said the CPI(M) had "never compromised with communal forces." "What is happening now is that the UDF is indulging in low-level politics by aligning with both minority and majority communal forces for votes, which only strengthens communalism," he alleged.

Cherian said that while the RSS "promoted majority communalism, minority communalism was also being encouraged by the Muslim League." "It is because of a government that does not support any form of communalism that people in Kerala can live peacefully, unlike in many other states," he said.

He added that all faiths and traditions would continue to be protected in Kerala, and people of all religions would have the freedom to follow their rituals.

Cherian criticised Satheesan’s recent statement during the Kerala Yathra led by Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, in which he attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for allowing SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellapally Natesan to travel in his official vehicle while arriving at the Ayyappa conclave venue at Pampa last year.

He called the statement unnecessary and said Satheesan was "fully aware of the dangers posed by both minority and majority communalism." "But it was a tactic to attract minority votes by creating divisions along caste and communal lines. He could have raised this at a KPCC meeting or a press conference, not at an event attended mainly by people from the minority community," Cherian said.

He said Natesan was a leader of a major organisation in Kerala and might have his views, but the government neither encouraged nor supported them.

Cherian said divisive statements only strengthen factionalism. "Look at the election results in the Kasaragod municipality. Only people from the majority community win," he added.

He further said that similar trends were happening in other states and asked whether Kerala should follow the same path.

"You read the names of people who won in the Malappuram district panchayat elections. Should our state’s situation go that way?" he asked.

Cherian said Kerala "should not be turned into a state like Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh." "Here, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians live like children of one mother. Everyone has the right to compete in a democratic system," he said.

He alleged that attempts to divide people on communal lines would lead to the formation of communal groups and accused the Leader of the Opposition of encouraging such mobilisation. PTI TBA SSK TBA SSK ADB