Congress takes dig at Kerala CM's 'breakfast diplomacy' with BJP at JAC meeting

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress leadership of Kerala made use of the JAC meeting held in Chennai to attack the state's CPI (M) government for its alleged diplomacies with the BJP at the Centre.

This comes in view of the recent unusual breakfast meeting hosted by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman which was also attended by recently appointed Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran said at the JAC meeting on Saturday that there was no place for breakfast and dinner diplomacy in the struggle against the infringement on federalism and fascist authoritarian mindset. He also cautioned that the state governments should recognise that the Narendra Modi government was using governors to destabilise and topple non-NDA governments.

Following are the excerpts of Sudhakaran's speech:

"This is a battle for the very existence of democracy and a stand against the infringement on federalism. We must fight it tooth and nail, leaving no room for double standards. In this struggle, breakfast and dinner diplomacy have no place. We are up against a fascist, authoritarian mindset, and we will not confront it with hesitation or a half-hearted approach—we must face it with unwavering determination."

"Since the Modi government came to power, it has consistently tried to weaken non-NDA governments. They are using governors to destabilize and topple these governments. Governors are watching like hawks, waiting for an opportunity—some openly engaging in conflict, while others act friendly and composed. All of them have been appointed with a clear mission and task. They are the biggest threats to non-NDA governments. We must recognize this reality and take the necessary precautions in dealing with them. Otherwise, we will have cause for regret," said Sudhakaran.

The Congress in Kerala has been alleging that the breakfast meeting hosted by Vijayan for the union finance minister last week along with the governor was mysterious as probe by Serious Fraud Investigation Office, which in headed by Sitharaman, into the 'shady' dealings of Vijayan's daughter with a controversial mining firm is in the final stages.

Meanwhile, Vijayan, in his address at the JAC meeting said that the union government's actions on fiscal policies, language policies, cultural policies and delimitation are destabilising India’s federal system and democratic framework. "Our collective resistance is not just about seats; it is a fight to preserve India’s soul as a diverse and inclusive democracy," he said.