CPI(M) under attack for not giving devaswom portfolio to new minister from dalit community in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M) government in Kerala has come under attack from  BJP and dalit outfits for not giving the devaswom portfolio to O K Kelu, who is being inducted to the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet.

Kelu is replacing K Radhakrishnan who has been elected to the Lok Sabha.

Radhakrishnan was holding SC and ST welfare, devaswom and parliamentary affairs portfolios, whereas Kelu will be given only the SC and ST welfare portfolio.

Devaswom portfolio will be given to co-operation minister V N Vasavan and parliamentary affairs to excise minister M B Rajesh.

While Radhakrishnan is from a scheduled caste community, Kelu is from the scheduled tribe community.

BJP state president K Radhakrishnan and Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha leader M Geethanandan are asking why devaswom portfolio is not being given to Kelu.

Surendran asked if Kelu was denied the devaswom portfolio as he is from a dalit community. He flayed that the CPI(M) was maintaining double standards by making much hype over the decision to do away with the term 'colony' for tribal settlements and on the next day denying devaswom portfolio to a minister from the dalit community.

He also asked if experience was the criteria, why first time minister Mohammed Riyas, who is Pinarayi Vijayan's son-in-law, was given key portfolios like tourism and public works.

Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha criticised that the CPI(M) was trying to appease the upper castes by denying devaswom portfolio.

Meanwhile, Kelu will be sworn-in to the cabinet on Sunday.