Kerala BJP warns state govt of central assistance cut

BJP leaders in Kerala have threatened the left-front government in the state of cut in the central assistance if National Population Register (NPR) is not initiated in the state.

The CPM-led government in Kerala recently decided not to implement NPR citing that there was a general apprehension among the people that NPR may lead to National Register of Citizens in the wake of the introduction of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

"BJP Kerala general secretary K Surendran said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be answerable to the people if the central make any cut in assistance to the state. NPR was part of census which was nothing new. Even then the chief minister was stating that census would not be done in Kerala," he blamed.

M T Ramesh, another state general secretary of BJP, said that the centre already allotted the first installment of fund for carrying out census in Kerala.

BJP Kerala spokesperson B Gopalakrishnan said that the centre may even deny ration to Kerala if NPR was not implemented. Hence the state will have to implement NPR. The centre will make the state do it, he said.

GO TO PAKISTAN

Mr Gopalakrishnan also stated that those who criticise Hindu's would have to go to Pakistan. He alleged that some Hindus living in Gulf countries were facing threats.

The fresh threats from BJP leaders in Kerala came close on the heals of warning by a BJP leader that actors who protested against CAA would have to be cautious against Income Tax raids for tax evasion. However, such statements faced criticism from with in the party.

It may be recalled that Mr. Gopalakrishnan earlier courted controversy after he asked noted film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan to go to moon if he could not tolerate 'Jai Shri Ram' chants. The film maker was among the 49 persons who wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister raising concerns over mob lynchings by raising 'Jai Shri Ram'.