THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On the eve of an LDF meeting, in which the CPI is set to raise the controversy surrounding ADGP M R Ajith Kumar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan finally broke his silence on the allegations of RSS links. In his first public response since the controversy over the ADGP-RSS meeting erupted almost a week ago, Pinarayi contemptuously rejected Opposition’s charges of the CPM-RSS understanding.
Speaking at the Kovalam area committee office inauguration on Tuesday, Pinarayi unleashed a scathing attack on the Congress, listing out instances of Congress leaders’ leaning towards the Sangh Parivar. “A section has been indulging in a major campaign that the CPM has RSS links. At no stage has the CPM indulged in any sort of RSS appeasement. The CPM has lost many lives in RSS attacks. It was the CPM which always resisted the Sangh Parivar and opposed communalism. Never was there any kind of compromise with the RSS. Everyone knows who said he has stood guard for RSS shakhas,” said Pinarayi, in an apparent reference to KPCC president K Sudhakaran. Noticeably, in spite of his almost hour-long outburst, Pinarayi maintained total silence on the allegations raised by Left MLA P V Anvar against the ADGP.
Minutes after Pinarayi cornered him, Sudhakaran shot back saying Pinarayi has been living on the BJP’s mercy. If not, he would have gone to jail long ago, said Sudhakaran while talking to the media in Kollam. “Pinarayi Vijayan has surrendered before the RSS and has been its slave for long. Now, he’s on a rampage against others after his RSS links got exposed,” said Sudhakaran, who challenged the CM to reveal the agenda of the ADGP-RSS meeting.
Earlier in the day, CPI indicated that it would raise the issue over the ADGP meeting RSS leaders at the LDF meet on Wednesday. “What’s the reason for an ADGP in Kerala to engage in back-to-back meetings with RSS leaders? He should reveal the purpose of his visits,” said CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam. He also rejected Speaker A N Shamseer’s remarks justifying the meeting between the ADGP and RSS leaders.
The chief minister broke his silence on the RSS row amid mounting pressure from the CPI to come up with concrete steps on the issue.
Govindan rejects charges of ADGP being CM’s envoy
Pinarayi alleged the Congress has had links with the RSS at the national level too. Taking a dig at Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, he said everyone knows who had bowed down in front of Sangh leader Golwalkar’s photo.
CPM state secretary M V Govindan too rejected allegations of the CM sending the ADGP as an envoy to RSS. “The CPM hasn’t come to a state where it has to send an ADGP to strike a deal. If it was to strike a deal, we could have met Mohan Bhagwat. Why send an ADGP?” mocked Govindan, who criticised the media for “anti-Left campaigns”.
“Contrary to media reports, the CPM has not been on the defensive. The media has been pointing at rising criticism during branch conferences. The very purpose of the conference is to go in for self-criticism and necessary correction,” he said.