RG launches UDF poll campaign with frontal attack against Vijayan

Rahul Gandhi, who represents Kerala’s Wayanad in parliament, launched the UDF election campaign with a blistering attack against the Pinarayi Vijayan government, alleging that anyone holding a CPI-M flag can do gold smuggling sitting in the chief minister’s office.

Addressing a crowd of Congress and UDF supporters near here at the conclusion of Kerala yatra by opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, Rahul Gandhi also raised the controversial deep sea fishing project, and asserted that the LDF government has robbed the fishermen of their livelihood by entering into a deal with an American company.

After a series of embarrassing disclosures by the opposition leader, the government was forced to announce cancellation of the agreements signed in connection with the deal, but there are still part of the transactions, including allocation of land, that remain valid.

The government is seeking to wash its hands off the deal by blaming the officials for entering into the deal, which is in violation of the state’s declared fisheries policy. The opposition has refused to accept the government explanation and is seeking a judicial enquiry into the entire deal.

Rahul’s sharp attack on the fishing project was in keeping with the UDF plan to use the issue to the maximum possible extent to discredit the Vijayan government. The venue of the meeting, which was situated in an area dominated by the fishing community, had a special significance in this regard.

The opposition has decided to spearhead an agitation by the fishermen community against the government move, which has also infuriated the Catholic Church, which has a large following among the fishing communities. A Church spokesperson had, in fact, warned earlier in the day that the ruling front will have to suffer the consequences of this ‘betrayal’ in the elections.

Harping on the agitation by PSC rank holders, another emotionally surcharged issue, Rahul Gandhi pointed out that there was no dearth of jobs and opportunities for the supporters of the ruling party, but for anyone else a job was a mirage under the Pinarayi Vijayan dispensation.

The Wayanad MP also attacked prime minister Narendra Modi for robbing the common people for handing over the proceeds to the rich people. “During the lockdown period, he refused to provide Rs 300 for a train or bus ticket to the migrant labour, but handed over Rs 1.5 lakh crore worth of tax breaks to his corporate friends,” he claimed.