UDF Role Exposed In Sabarimala Gold Theft; Media Falls Silent: M V Govindan

Malappuram: CPI(M) Kerala State Secretary M V Govindan on Tuesday said sections of the media that rushed to publish reports targeting the Left in the Sabarimala gold theft case have now gone silent as facts have emerged.

Addressing a press conference, Govindan said the Kerala High Court’s direction for a Vigilance inquiry into the flagstaff theft at Sabarimala in 2017 clearly exposes corruption during the period when the Travancore Devaswom Board was under UDF control. He said the irregularities that are now coming out are linked to the UDF’s time in power and not to the present LDF government.

M.V. Govindan also said the Congress high command must clearly state its position on Opposition Leader V D Satheesan issuing a “certificate of secularism” to Jamaat-e-Islami. He questioned whether aligning with Jamaat-e-Islami reflects the official policy of the Congress leadership.

He said attempts are being made by the UDF to portray criticism of Jamaat-e-Islami as an attack on minorities. Opposing Jamaat-e-Islami does not mean opposing minorities, he said, but standing firmly against communal ideology.

M.V Govindan warned against adopting the slogans and political line of Jamaat-e-Islami and the RSS, saying both pursue communal agendas aimed at capturing political power, with Jamaat-e-Islami pushing the idea of an Islamic state and the RSS promoting a Hindu Rashtra.

Referring to the LDF’s Vikasana Munneta Jatha, Govindan said the strong public participation across the state reflects people’s approval of the government. He noted that the march has received significant support from minority communities, which he said shows a clear public rejection of communal politics.

M.V. Govindan also called on people from all sections of society, cutting across political affiliations, to participate in the general strike scheduled for the 12th of this month against the anti-people policies of the central government.