Kerala CM says people lost faith in Cong; Left to lead 'secular alternative' against BJP

Kerala Chief Minister and Communist Party of India (CPM) leader Pinarayi Vijayan attacked Congress for putting up a ‘Soft-Hindutva’ alternative against the incumbent BJP, instead of uplifting the idea of ‘secularism’ and asserted that the move will further weaken the party’s stand. He went on to lambast Congress and said that ‘People have lost faith’ in them and they no longer have the potential to provide a national alternative.

Calling out Rahul Gandhi for his ‘Hindu’ & ‘hindutvawadi’ remark, CM Vijayan lashed out at the Congress leader for insisting on the ‘rule of hindus’ through his speech in Jaipur. He said that Rahul Gandhi wants to establish the rule of Hindus after ousting the ‘Hindutva’ government. 

‘Congress’ soft Hindutva won't work’: Pinarayi Vijayan

The Kerala CM went on to add that Congress will be unable to provide an alternative at the national level against the BJP with this ideology and only regional parties will be able to provide a ‘secular’ alternative at the centre.

The CPM leader asserted that the Left-wing could provide a direction to the regional parties at the national level. Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi for his speech in Jaipur, Kerala CM Vijayan claimed that the Congress leader's support for ‘religion-based politics’ was undermining secularism and that the only way to combat the BJP's ‘communal politics’ was to establish a coalition of regional parties, with the Left-wing playing a prominent role.

"Rahul Gandhi's statement is part of the soft Hindutva stand adopted by the Congress party long ago. He has only re-emphasised that policy in Jaipur," Vijayan said, inaugurating the CPM Ernakulam district conference.

Lashing out at Gandhi, Vijayan on Tuesday said that because of this kind of "soft Hindutva" policy of the Congress party, many of its leaders have now become the leaders of the BJP.  

People have lost faith in the Congress, the left-wing can lead regional parties to form national opposition: CM Vijayan

"People have lost faith in the Congress. The followers of that party have lost faith in it. In such a scenario, the Congress could not be seen as an alternative against the BJP.”

The Communist leader claimed that the Congress and the BJP have identical trade reforms and that regional parties with a secular orientation are very powerful in several states, and that the Left-wing should seek to unite them against the BJP government at the centre. "A secular alternative will emerge at the national level," Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Rahul Gandhi spells out difference between ‘Hindus’ & ‘Hindutvawadis’

In a fiery address to Congress supporters in Jaipur, ex-party chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday declared 'I do not fear as I am a Hindu, not a Hindutvawadi'. Addressing the massive 'Mehangai Hatao rally', Gandhi claimed that when 'Hindu farmers stood up, the Hindutvawadis had to apologise'. Explaining the difference between Hindu and Hindutvawadi, he slammed the Centre's refusal to provide compensation to 700+ farmers who died in the year-long protest,

"There are two words today in the country - Hindu & Hindutvavadi. I am a Hindu but not a Hindutavadi. Mahatma Gandhi is Hindu, Godse is Hindutvavadi. A Hindu faces his fear while Hindutawadi bows down before his fear, and that fear creates enmity. This is the difference between Hindu and Hindutawadi," said Gandhi.

(With PTI Inputs)

Image: PTI