'Look at the names’: Kerala Minister's remarks on Malappuram, Kasaragod results trigger controversy
Alappuzha (Kerala): Kerala Minister Saji Cherian has sparked a political controversy with remarks suggesting that electoral outcomes in Malappuram and Kasaragod reflect growing communal polarisation in the state. His comments, made while criticising the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, have drawn sharp reactions from the Opposition.
Cherian accused the UDF of fuelling communal tensions for political gain and alleged that the party was willing to align with both minority and majority communal forces. He reiterated that the CPI(M) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had consistently opposed communalism and claimed that Kerala had not witnessed communal riots in the past decade under the LDF government. In contrast, he referred to incidents such as the Marad riots of 2002–03 and clashes in Alappuzha and Vizhinjam, which occurred during earlier UDF regimes.
Addressing questions on communal polarisation, the minister said indications were already visible in northern Kerala’s electoral patterns. “Look at the names of those who won in Malappuram and Kasaragod,” he remarked, cautioning against underestimating the trend.
Cherian also accused Satheesan of attempting to disturb communal harmony through statements made during the Kerala Yathra led by Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar. He alleged that these remarks were aimed at creating religious and caste-based divisions to consolidate minority votes, adding that the Opposition leader was aware of the dangers posed by both minority and majority communalism.
Responding to Satheesan’s criticism over Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan allowing SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan to travel in his official vehicle, Cherian dismissed the allegation, stating that there was nothing improper in the gesture. He said community organisations such as the NSS and SNDP function autonomously and that cooperation with them did not amount to political “social engineering”.
Emphasising Kerala’s tradition of coexistence, Cherian said Hindus, Muslims and Christians in the state lived together harmoniously and warned against divisive politics that could push Kerala towards the kind of polarised electoral environment seen in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. He maintained that the state government remained committed to protecting all faiths and ensuring the freedom to practise religious traditions peacefully.
Later, amid criticism, Cherian issued a clarification, stating that his remarks had been distorted and misinterpreted. He said he did not intend to single out any community but meant that Kerala should not move towards a situation where Muslim-majority areas are politically dominated by the Indian Union Muslim League and Hindu-majority regions by the BJP. He made the clarification while speaking to the media on Monday morning.
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KKR hammer DC by eight wickets as Allen smashes unbeaten ton
New Delhi (PTI): Finn Allen smashed a 47-ball 100 not out as Kolkata Knight Riders thrashed Delhi Capitals by eight wickets to register their fourth win on the trot in the IPL, here on Friday.
Opting to bowl, KKR spinners led by Sunil Narine strangled Delhi Capitals in the middle overs on a tacky surface to restrict them to 142/8.
Pathum Nissanka struck a quick 50 (29 balls; 5x4, 3x6) but Delhi lost momentum after his dismissal, scoring just 11 runs between the 12th and 16th overs as Anukul Roy (2/31), Kartik Tyagi (2/25) and Sunil Narine (1/17) applied the brakes.
Ashutosh Sharma’s late 28-ball 39 (3x4, 3x6), gave Delhi some respite.
In reply, Allen, who came in as Impact Sub for Varun Chakravarthy, smashed 10 sixes and five fours to make it a lopsided chase as KKR sealed the win in just 14.2 overs.
Brief Scores:
Delhi Capitals 142/8 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 50, Ashutosh Sharma 39; Anukul Roy 2/31, Kartik Tyagi 2/25). Kolkata Knight Riders 147/2 in 14.2 overs (Finn Allen 100 not out).
