Union Minister Suresh Gopi dares Kerala govt to seek CBI probe into Thrissur Pooram
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Amid controversy over his use of an ambulance to reach the Thrissur Pooram venue after hearing that the festival was disrupted, Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Thursday detailed the sequence of events leading to the incident and demanded a CBI probe into the entire episode.
Gopi, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, while not refuting the allegations that he reached the festival site in an ambulance, claimed that he reached close to the festival site in his car, which was then attacked by some 'goondas' of the rival political parties.
The Union MoS claimed that he was rescued from there by some youngsters who put him in an ambulance which was there at the festival site to cater to those in distress.
"I do not need to explain it further. Let the CBI come and investigate. Do they have the courage to bring the CBI. Their entire politics will go up in flames if it happens. You want the truth to come out, bring the CBI," he said.
He further claimed that all these issues were being created to hide financial frauds like the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam.
Gopi had earlier refuted the claims, including by some BJP leaders, that he had reached the festival venue in an ambulance.
Hitting back at the Union Minister, the CPI -- a key ally of the ruling CPI(M) in the state -- claimed that Gopi misused an ambulance for political gains.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam said that ambulances were meant for emergencies and to use them for political gains or for any other purpose was a "misuse".
"In this case, the misuse was done by then BJP candidate and current MP Suresh Gopi. Even various BJP leaders admitted that he was taken to the Pooram venue by ambulance.
"They projected it as an indication of their competence. Its beneficiary was Suresh Gopi. So, he may have things to hide and will say such dialogues," he contended.
The Thrissur Pooram disruption row has triggered a political debate in the state after Chief Minister Vijayan stated that the festival and the other rituals were not disrupted.
Congress and the Left ally CPI have alleged that the Pooram was purportedly disrupted to help the BJP win the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat by evoking Hindu sentiment.
There were police interventions in the Thrissur Pooram rituals and the subsequent controversies took the sheen off the annual spectacle held in April this year.
For the first time in the history of the festival, the display of fireworks, one of the major attractions of the event, which was scheduled in the early hours, was held in broad daylight the next day, which turned out to be a disappointment for the festival buffs.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
