Thiruvananthapuram:Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday alleged that the Indian government was working according to the interests of the United States of America (USA) and that is why the Centre was supporting Israel and ignoring the plight of Palestinian people.
Vijayan alleged that India, which was favouring and supporting the Palestinian cause in the past, became friendlier towards Israel when P V Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister and that friendliness has reached its height under the present administration at the Centre. "The intention behind it is to appease America (USA). Our government is working according to the interests of America. Therefore, as part of accepting US interests, we are being supportive of Israel and pushing away Palestine.
"As a result, we are creating a situation where people of Palestine do not have their own land and home," the CM said at a press briefing held here in the evening. He also praised Congress-ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) for the pro-Palestine rally they held recently. Regarding the Congress allegation that CPI(M) invited IUML to its rally on the Palestine issue for political gains, Vijayan said it was a senior leader of the League who had recently said that if invited they would attend the Left party's event.
Since that open statement was in the public domain, we invited IUML fully aware that they would not be able to attend as they are a part of the UDF. "The IUML is the base of the UDF. If there is no IUML, there is no UDF. So, we had no illusions when we invited the League. "When they got the invite, they had to discuss it. Thereafter, they declined it. It was neither surprising nor something new. When Congress is indirectly opposed to the Palestine cause, the IUML cannot openly disregard them and participate in our rally," Vijayan claimed.
To a query on the issue of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) seeking an explanation from Congress leader Aryadan Shoukath for holding a pro-Palestine rally, Vijayan said it indicated the level to which the grand old party has fallen. "Can we even think of seeking an explanation for such a thing? Is supporting Palestine akin to supporting some terror outfit? It should be a natural thing to support the people of Palestine.
"So, we have to painfully realise that Congress has become a party that can take such a stand. Though we may have political differences with the Congress, they are part of the national movement. Should it degrade so much?" he asked. Vijayan also said that the CPI(M) was not hoping for people to come and join it from other parties. "The CPI(M) is not in that kind of a situation," he asserted. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday had accused the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala of trying to lure away members of its alliance as the Left party allegedly was not confident in its own strength and abilities. Chennithala also called the ruling Left front in the state "a sinking ship" and questioned who would want to board it.
