BJP hits out at LDF govt in Kerala over minister's allegations on RSS

Thiruvananthapuram: Hitting out at the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala over its minister’s allegation that RSS is trying to turn temples into storehouses of arms in the state, on Wednesday BJP said the saffron outfit is not carrying out any illegal activities in shrines. State BJP chief Kummanom Rajasekharan challenged the government to conduct raids in temples to prove the charges of Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. No complaint in this regard has been received by any temple managing committees, he said. “The operations of RSS are not confined to the four walls of temples and it has a presence everywhere. It is foolish to think that the activities of RSS can be checked by a minister of the state government,” Rajasekharan said. RSS’ arm is its ideology and it is in the heart of RSS workers’, he said adding the state government also has no right to transcend into the affairs of temples, run by autonomous Devaswom Board. In an 29 August Facebook post, Surendran had alleged that the RSS was trying to turn temples into storehouses of arms in Kerala and that the government had been receiving a large number of complaints in this regard. He had warned of a stern action. [caption id=“attachment_2985012” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] Rajasekharan also questioned the government’s decision to send two Christian ministers to Vatican City to take part in the canonisation of Mother Teresa. State Finance Minister T M Thomas Issac and Water Resources Minster Mathew T Thomas are planning to join the Indian delegation visiting Vatican City to take part in the celebrations. The BJP alleged leader said the LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had lost its secular character. “LDF government’s only achievement after 100 days in office is occurrence of 300 incidents of political violence in which CPI(M) activists are involved,” he said. Nearly 1,000 CPI(M) activists are accused in cases of political violence, he added. Rajasekharan also claimed there is stagnation in in all sectors, including industry and agriculture in the state. Taking potshots at LDF’s election slogan “If LDF comes, everything will be made all right” he said, “There was nothing in sight to indicate that something concrete would happen in the state in the coming days”. Government was only trying to create a row to divert people’s attention from crucial issues like failure to check spurt in prices of essential commodities and increase in instances of political violence.