Communists rejected by world, Cong by nation, says Shah

Addressing a rally in Thrissur, Shah said both political parties were friends in northeastern states, but they pretended to be sworn enemies in Kerala.

 Setting the tone for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s bid to open an account in next year’s parliamentary election in Kerala, Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday criticised the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and opposition Congress, saying communist ideology has been globally rejected and the country has rejected the Congress.

Union home minister Amit Shah (PTI)

Addressing a rally in Thrissur, Shah said both political parties were friends in northeastern states, but they pretended to be sworn enemies in Kerala. People will realise their “double game” soon, he said.

Both outfits were in a race to discredit Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but their attacks only increased his and the BJP’s popularity. “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi often goes out and discredits the PM and country. But these attacks only helped Modi to increase his popularity and acceptance, and the lotus is blooming everywhere,” Shah said. “In recent elections, it was quite evident.”

“Communists have been rejected by the world and the country has rejected the Congress party,” he added. “Kerala is passionate about bringing a change under the leadership of Modi.” After the recent assembly election victories in northeastern states, Modi has said Kerala was top on his party’s agenda.

Shah said Kerala experimented with alternative fronts, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and Congress-led United Democratic Front, for many years, but both looted the state. The state’s finance minister himself admitted Kerala was in serious crisis, he said.

“Reports says the state’s debt crossed ₹3,40,000 crore. And in all vacancies, only party workers are getting filled. In 2024 elections, people will give a befitting reply,” he said, adding that only the BJP can lift the state from its current situation.

He questioned chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s silence on gold smuggling and the Life Mission scam. “Communists are immersed in Life Mission corruption. And the CM’s former principal secretary is in jail now. The CM will be forced to answer the public in 2024 elections,” he said.

The central government has shown courage to ban the Popular Front of India, a fundamentalist outfit . “It is one of the biggest achievements of the Modi government. The PFI was turning a big threat to the country and Kerala. Only Modi can ban it. Neither the CPI(M) nor the Congress welcomed it. But the BJP never played appeasement politics,” he said.

He also chided the state government for its failure to control a fire in the dumping yard in Kochi. “Corruption is everywhere. In Kochi, a fire has been raging for 11 days and they failed to control it,” he said.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said the BJP’s wish will remain “only a day dream”