Kerala CM slams union minister for his social media posts over convention centre blast
Thiruvananthapuram(PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday slammed senior BJP leader and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar for his social media posts criticising him over a blast at a convention centre in Kalamassery, saying it was part of his communal stand.
Without naming Chandrasekhar, he, during a press conference here, sought to know based on what information the union minister made such remarks against him and how a person holding a responsible position could come out with such statements while the investigation was going on.
During the brief press meet held at the Secretariat complex here, the CM also read out the English and Malayalam statements by Chandrasekhar posted on his X handle.
"Dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) @pinarayivijayan besieged by corruption charges.
Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians," the minister posted on social media earlier in the day after the reports about the multiple blasts came out.
Only kashtam is that the head of terror organization #Hamas is allowed by two political parties of INDI alliance to freely preach hate and jihad in our state @HibiEden .
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) October 29, 2023
Simple really if you choose to understand this and that the killing and harming of innocents is always a… https://t.co/JMmCNMy7vf
Vijayan alleged the statements were the reflection of an absolute communal outlook.
Indirectly attacking other BJP leaders who also responded on similar lines, he said those who were with the minister also came out with similar statements.
"A person who holds the post of minister should have shown at least some respect to the investigating agencies. Though the Kerala police is probing the incident now, we all saw reports that central agencies have also reached the site," the CM said.
He further said they have taken a stand targeting a particular group, and it was part of their communal stand, but Kerala has never been on that agenda.
Noting that such statements should be viewed with seriousness, Vijayan also urged people not to fall for such campaigns.
He also warned stringent action against those who unleashed venomous campaigns through social media platforms with regard to the incident.
The CM also assured that whoever be the accused, they would be brought before the law to ensure maximum punishment.
Meanwhile, a 21-member special investigation team (SIT) of the Kerala Police, headed by ADGP Ajith Kumar, has been constituted to probe the case.
Two women died and 51 others were injured, some seriously, in multiple blasts at a Christian religious gathering in a convention centre near this port city on Sunday morning, sending shockwaves across Kerala.
The blasts took place at an international convention centre in Kalamassery, where hundreds of followers of the minority Christian group Jehovah's Witnesses had assembled on the concluding day of a three-day-long prayer meeting.
A few hours after the incident, a man claiming to be a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, saying that he carried out the multiple blasts.
Police has registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC as well as provisions of the Explosives Act and the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
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Hope PM Modi mentions genocide in Gaza while addressing Knesset: Priyanka
New Delhi (PTI): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would mention the genocide in Gaza while addressing the Israeli Parliament and demand justice for them.
The Congress MP from Wayanad said India must continue to show the light of truth, peace and justice to the world.
Her remarks came ahead of Modi's departure for Israel on a two-day visit, during which he is set to hold talks with the top leadership there and address the Knesset (Israeli parliament).
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "I hope that the Hon Prime Minister @narendramodi ji mentions the genocide of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza while addressing the Knesset on his upcoming trip to Israel and demands justice for them."
She asserted, "India has stood for what is right throughout our history as an independent nation, we must continue to show the light of truth, peace and justice to the world."
Modi's visit begins on Wednesday to shore up bilateral defence and trade cooperation between the two countries. It will be Modi's second visit to Israel in nine years.
The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of a strategic partnership during Modi's first visit to that country in July 2017.
The Congress on Tuesday alleged that the government has abandoned the Palestinians and said the prime minister was going to Israel despite that country's attacks on civilians in Gaza continue "mercilessly".
The party's general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the Modi government makes cynical and hypocritical statements on its commitment to the cause of the Palestinians, but, in reality, it has abandoned them.
