Rahul Gandhi Alleges Kerala CM Linked To Those 'Attacking' Minorities, Slams 'LDF-BJP Tie Up'

Rahul Gandhi accused Pinarayi Vijayan of a BJP nexus and targeting minorities, while criticising Narendra Modi and outlining UDF poll promises ahead of Kerala elections.

Rahul Gandhi Alleges Kerala CM Linked To Those 'Attacking' Minorities

Source : PTI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Rahul Gandhi alleges CM Vijayan partners with those attacking minorities.
• Gandhi claims BJP and LDF share an understanding in Kerala.
• He criticizes PM Modi for silence on Kerala's internal issues.

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday targeted the ruling LDF in Kerala and the BJP, alleging that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is in a partnership with people who "attack minorities" in other parts of the country.

Addressing an election gathering here, Gandhi reiterated his allegation of a BJP–LDF understanding and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not speaking about the Sabarimala issue during the election campaign.

Elections to 140 Assembly seats in the state will be held on April 9.

Referring to former CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran, who shared the stage with the Congress leader, Gandhi said his presence reflected a deeper shift within the CPI(M)-led LDF.

Sudhakaran is contesting as an Independent with UDF support from Ambalapuzha.

"We have a senior Left leader on the stage. There is a reason he is sitting here. It is not that he has suddenly changed his thinking. People who spend many years in a political organisation absorb its values. He is not here out of opportunism. He is here because something fundamental has happened to the LDF," Gandhi said.

He said for many years the Congress-led UDF fought the LDF as opponents, but they stood for certain ideas and were known as a symbol of the Left.

"What does LDF stand for-- Left Democratic Front. Now, frankly, there is nothing Left in the LDF. After the election, there will be nothing left in it," he added.

Gandhi alleged that what was disturbing leaders and workers within the Left was a "hidden hand" guiding the LDF.

"That hidden hand is communal, does not accept the Constitution of India, divides people and spreads hatred. Everyone in Kerala can see the connection between BJP, RSS and CPI(M)," he charged.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha further said there were two types of leaders in the LDF — "opportunists who want power and do not care about the help of BJP and RSS," and those who had worked for the party for years but now feel "betrayed" and upset with its direction.

Gandhi also targeted Modi, saying he frequently speaks about religion and temples in his speeches elsewhere but remained silent on the alleged Sabarimala issues in Kerala, apparently referring to the gold loss cases.

"I fight BJP and RSS; they attack me, cases are filed, I am interrogated, but I do not back down. Modi attacks me daily. But why does he not attack the Kerala chief minister and his family," he asked.

He said Modi speaks about God, religion and temples in every speech.

"But when he comes to Kerala, he forgets all that because he wants to help the LDF. The truth is he knows the LDF will never challenge him nationally," Gandhi alleged.

Gandhi further alleged that minorities are facing widespread attacks in different parts of the country.

"Two nuns from here were attacked in Chhattisgarh. In Manipur, churches were burnt. The chief minister (Vijayan) has a partnership with the people who are doing this. The very people who are attacking minorities—Muslims, Christians and Sikhs—have a partnership with the chief minister," he alleged.

He alleged that both PM Modi and Vijayan, after being in power for a long period, have become "arrogant" and disconnected from the people.

He claimed that when five to six women MPs stood up in Parliament, Modi perceived it as an attempt to attack him.

Drawing a comparison with Vijayan, Gandhi alleged that when a few Congress workers showed black flags, they were "physically beaten almost to death".

"He imagines that they are going to attack him to kill him, so he attacks them. Both these are examples of people who are drunk on power. They have already broken their relationship with the people," Gandhi charged.

He alleged that Kerala has become a "drug capital" and claimed that 75 per cent of paddy farmers in the state are in debt.

"Coir, which was a fundamental industry in the area, has been destroyed. Around 1.3 lakh workers do not have work," he further claimed.

He also criticised Modi over the trade deal with the United States, alleging it would severely impact small farmers in India.

Referring to the Middle East situation, he claimed that it could lead to petroleum and gas shortages and alleged that India's energy security had been compromised.

"India cannot buy oil from any country without the permission of the US President. Who is Donald Trump to tell us where to buy oil and gas from," he asked.

He further alleged that India’s data had been handed over to the US and that the country’s agriculture sector had been opened up in a way that could harm domestic interests.

Gandhi also alleged that industries were being handed over to the Adani Group due to its close links with the BJP and PM Modi.

He claimed that thePM would act on Trump's instructions and warned of a sharp rise in petrol and gas prices in the coming months.

Highlighting the UDF's poll promises, Gandhi said the Congress-led bloc would provide free travel for women in KSRTC buses and a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 to college-going girls.

"We are doing this because we understand that women are the backbone of Kerala. We want you to pursue your dreams, travel wherever you want and achieve whatever you want," he said.

Gandhi also greeted Sudhakaran and spoke briefly with him before leaving. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)