THRISSUR: The violence in Manipur and religious harmony in Kerala took centre stage at the Mahajana Sabha, the Congress’ mega public rally held in Thrissur on Sunday to mark the launch of the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing thousands who thronged Thekkinkadu Maidan, all the leaders on the dais, from AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to Thrissur MP T N Prathapan, highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the Manipur riots that has claimed hundreds of lives.
Prathapan shared his pride in representing Thrissur, the land of Kerala’s first mosque (Cheraman Juma Masjid), Our Lady of Dolours Basilica and Vadakkumnathan temple. Heaping praises on the religious harmony in the state’s cultural capital, Prathapan urged people to stay away from those promoting fascist ideologies.
Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan appreciated the statement by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India chief Mar Andrews Thazhath urging Catholics to vote against those who allowed ethnic violence in Manipur and attacked Catholic churches in India.
“Electing BJP again will be like giving it another chance to suppress people and destroy opposition voices in the country,” Satheesan said. “We all saw the pitiful situation wherein those who supported the violence against churches in Manipur visited Catholic houses in Kerala,” he said.
AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the gathering at the Mahajana Sabha will be the symbol of the fighting spirit of the Congress in Kerala.
“A few days back, PM Modi visited Thrissur twice in a 10-day gap. People in Kerala have realised the reason behind his visits. I have only one thing to remind you: He found time to visit Thrissur twice, but did not get time to in the past nine months to visit Manipur, which was burning due to violence,” he said.