A fresh war of words has erupted between Congress leaders and Ministers of the Kerala Cabinet as the last leg of the Navakerala Sadas in Ernakulam district is set to culminate with sessions in Tripunithura and Kunnathunadu Assembly constituencies on January 2 (Tuesday).
The hours-long acrimonious siege of the Palarivattom police station by the top brass of the Congress leadership to get the release of the Youth Congress activists arrested for engaging in black flag protest at the Navakerala Sadas bus and the comments made by the leaders during the course of the protest served as the latest trigger.
While Hibi Eden, MP, has dubbed the eventual release of the activists on bail shortly after Monday midnight as “a slap on the face of the police” headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Muhammed Shiyas made an even more aggressive statement. He said “the last sacrament of the Navakerala Sadas” will take place in Ernakulam.
This was met with a somewhat equally abrasive response from Minister V. Abdurahiman who said that it was difficult to respond to comments made by “the insane.” He said that Congress leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition, were “notorious for using bad words.”
The Minister also justified his Cabinet colleague and Minister for Culture Saji Cherian’s controversial comment about the Church leaders who had attended a feast hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The Sangh Parivar has targeted the minority community in various places, including Manipur, leading to loss of lives and property. The core question is whether the issues faced by the minority community in Kerala stand resolved through one such feast,” said Mr. Abdurahiman.
Minister for Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas said that none was against black flag protests but what was under way was “suicide attack-like protests” featuring hurling of rotten eggs and shoes. He claimed that there was opposition to such protests even within the Congress.
Mr. Riyas challenged the Congress to show their might through the participation of thousands in their programmes.
He also accused the Congress of not having a clear position with regard to the Ayodhya Ram temple issue and drew attention to the party’s silence over the criticism raised by senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran.
Minister for Cooperation V.N. Vasavan said that the Congress is like “a fire that burns even more brightly just before it is to go out.”
“They are trying to garner attention through the media. Thousands flocked to the Navakerala Sadas at Thrikkakara and Piravom. Compared to this, what difference does a black flag protest by 10-12 persons make,” he said.
