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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Car catches fire on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan, five of family burnt alive
Jaipur (PTI): Five members of a family were burnt alive while the driver was seriously injured after a car caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan's Alwar district, police said on Thursday.
The incident took place near Maujpur on Wednesday night when the victims were returning from a pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir.
Additional Superintendent of Police Priyanka Raghuvanshi said fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control in 15 minutes, but by then the car was completely gutted.
The deceased have been identified as Santosh, his wife Shashi, mother Parvati and daughters Raghani and Sakshi, all residents of Chainpura in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Kailash Jindal said a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the blaze. As it was a CNG vehicle, the fire spread fast, leaving the occupants with no time to escape.
"Only skeletal remains were recovered from the vehicle, which have been preserved separately. DNA tests will be conducted to establish their identity," he said.
The car driver, identified as Vinod Kumar Mehar, managed to jump out of the vehicle but sustained around 80 per cent burn injuries. He was initially taken to a nearby health centre and later referred to Jaipur for advanced treatment, officials said.
Further investigation is underway.
