Maha min calls Kerala ‘mini Pak’, LDF and UDF leaders slam remark
Kerala's LDF and UDF condemned BJP's Nitesh Rane for calling the state "mini-Pakistan," demanding his resignation for remarks seen as hateful.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala slammed Maharashtra minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitesh Rane’s remarks referring to the southern state as “mini-Pakistan”.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the remarks by the Maharashtra fisheries and ports minister was “deeply malicious” and “utterly condemnable”.
“Such rhetoric reflects the hate campaigns orchestrated by the Sangh Parivar against Kerala, a bastion of secularism and communal harmony. We strongly denounce this vile attack on Kerala and call upon all democratic and secular forces to unite against Sangh Parivar’s hateful propaganda,” the chief minister posted on social platform, X.
In a press statement, the chief minister said the minister does not deserve to remain in the position as his remarks are against the constitutional oath he took before occupying office.
Congress leader of the opposition VD Satheesan also demanded that Rane resign from his ministerial post.
“His remarks are akin to insulting the people of Kerala. The remarks by the BJP leader are a continuation of the words of similar nature by CPM Politburo member A Vijayaraghavan. The words of Vijayaraghavan were later defended by the CPM state leadership too,” said Satheesan.
Speaking at a rally in Pune district, Rane had said that Kerala is “mini Pakistan” where “terrorists” earlier voted for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and subsequently for his sister, Priyanka Gandhi. He was referring to the wins of Rahul and Priyanka from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.
After the remarks stirred a row, Rane said Kerala is “very much a part of India” and that he was only raising issues of “love jihad” and religious conversions of Hindus in the state.
