×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Kerala CM slams Cong's 'cold response' to Teesta Setalvad, Sreekumar arrest

The Congress's affinity to the Bharatiya Janata Party was evident from its response, accused the Kerala chief minister
Last Updated 27 June 2022, 15:46 IST

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Congress national leadership of making a “cold response” against the arrest of activist Teesta Setalvad and former Gujarat DGP R B Sreekumar. He alleged this showed Congress’s “pro-Hindutva stand”.

Pinarayi, who is a CPM politburo member, told reporters that the Congress could have at least made a nominal protest when the CPM strongly condemned it. The Congress's affinity to the Bharatiya Janata Party was evident from its response, accused the Kerala chief minister. CPM leader Thomas Isaac, too, had stated in a social media post that the Congress's response to the arrests of Setalvad and Sreekumar was shameful.

Both Pinarayi and Isaac quoted Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi’s statement, where he stated the party would not comment on the merits of a case in which it had no connection. The two CPM leaders also cited their party’s statement strongly condemning the arrest, and demanding withdrawal of the charges against the two.

Pinarayi also alleged that the Congress leadership did not support the legal fight by Zakia Jafri, wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the 2002 riots. Congress president Sonia Gandhi did not even visit Jafri during her visit to Gujarat after the riots. This was to protect the soft-Hindutva stand of the party, said the Kerala CM.

Congress leader and Kerala opposition leader V D Satheesan countered it by pointing out an earlier statement by Jafri's son that stated Sonia Gandhi met his mother after the riots.

Pinarayi’s attack on the Congress came in the wake of the allegation by the Congress leader in Kerala that the recent attack by CPM's students' wing at the office of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was an attempt by him (Vijayan) to please the BJP government at the centre.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 27 June 2022, 15:46 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT