Ernakulam: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that an unholy political deal is taking place between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He was speaking at the UDF election campaign meeting held at the Fort Kochi Veli Ground. Rahul, son of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, accused the Chief Minister of mortgaging Kerala’s interests before PM Modi in order to protect his family and children from central investigative agencies.
Rahul questioned why only the Kerala Chief Minister seems to enjoy immunity while opposition leaders who oppose the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are being relentlessly targeted by the Centre.
“They keep targeting me because I fight the BJP without compromise. Many cases have been filed against me. But why is it that in Kerala neither the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) nor the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questions the Chief Minister or his children? This is the biggest example that central agencies will never touch someone who surrenders before PM Modi,” Rahul said.
Modi and Trump; Pinarayi and Modi
He further mocked that just as Narendra Modi surrenders before US President Donald Trump, Pinarayi Vijayan is striking a similar compromise with PM Modi.
Rahul alleged that PM Modi has handed over India’s agriculture and energy sectors to foreign interests in order to protect Trump’s interests, and while people suffer from rising fuel prices, Modi continues to stand with (Gautam) Adani. He said Pinarayi Vijayan is following the same style in Kerala.
Sabarimala Controversy and BJP’s Silence
Rahul also sharply criticised the Prime Minister’s silence on the Sabarimala issue. He asked why the “devout” Prime Minister has not uttered a single word when there are serious allegations that gold was stolen from Sabarimala and replaced with copper. He added that the BJP wants the LDF to win in Kerala because they know the Left cannot pose a real threat to them.
Gandhi said that under Left rule, Kerala has become a centre of drugs and debt. He alleged that the health and education sectors are collapsing and that government jobs have been reserved only for those with CPM connections.
According to Rahul, even sincere Left workers are disappointed with the party’s decline. He said the CPM has abandoned its ideology and transformed into a movement that joins hands with the RSS for the sake of power, which is why many senior leaders are now joining the Congress.
He urged the people to stand united in Congress’s fight against the RSS and BJP, whom he accused of trying to destroy Kerala’s secular fabric. Rahul concluded by saying that a UDF victory in the upcoming election is essential for Kerala’s survival.
