Kerala chief minister lambasts opposition leader in Assembly
Your leader is not Rahul Gandhi but Amit Shah, Vijayan tells Chennithala
Awar of words between Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala escalated yesterday when the Kerala chief minister told the latter that the Congress’ state unit was following the diktats of BJP’s national chief Amit Shah, and not party President Rahul Gandhi anymore.
The chief minister said that ever since the September 28 verdict of the Supreme Court allowing all women access to the Lord Ayyappa shrine, the protests in the state showed “who was Chennithala’s leader. It is not Rahul Gandhi, but Amit Shah”.
Vijayan was replying to an accusation made by Chennithala that RSS leader Valsan Thillenkary has been given a free hand to run the show on the hallowed 18 steps of Sabarimala temple last month.
The proceedings inside the Assembly turned chaotic within minutes after the session was convened, forcing the Speaker to wrap up in less than half an hour.
At the outset of the question hour, Chennithala had said the Congress would cooperate with Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan, but announced that three of the party’s legislators would commence an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Assembly’s main door to protest the Vijayan government’s callous attitude in refusing the party’s demands in Sabarimala town, where they had been pressing for an end to prohibitory orders.
Vijayan immediately retorted saying that there was no difference between the saffron brigade and the Congress.
“While the Bharatiya Janata Party was stationed in front of the state secretariat, you have started it here. This clearly shows the relation you have with the BJP/RSS,” Vijayan added.
“One cannot cheat all the people all the time and now you have been exposed, as you have become the closest buddy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” Vijayan said.