Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): The main topic of discussion in the political circles in Kerala, on Friday, revolved around the derogatory remark made by Congress leader and MP K Sudhakaran against the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Sudhakaran, during a speech at Thalassery earlier this week, had referred to Pinarayi Vijayan as the toddy tapper’s son in a casteist, derogatory tone.
However, K Sudhakaran maintained that he has not made any casteist remark against Pinarayi Vijayan. He said, talking about a person’s work is not ‘casteist’ and that the media had twisted and distorted his speech.
Sudhakaran had been put on the defensive even within the Congress as the senior leaders and State leaders of Congress had come out against him.
He asked, how does speaking of one’s father’s work become a disgrace? Adding that Vijayan deserves no respect, Sudhakaran said, he is content that the party has finally recognised what he had talked against the CM.
Meanwhile, Ramesh Chennithala had responded that he has not cast Sudhakaran aside, on Friday. Chennithala said, Sudhakaran was talking metaphorically and the topic ends there. Chennithala, who had earlier said that Sudhakaran’s statement was not right on Thursday, changed his stand overnight, within hardly 24 hours.
On Friday, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran said that Sudhakaran has not made a casteist remark and said he is Congress’s ‘strong soldier’. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal said Sudhakaran has a countrified style of speech. He said, before opinionating, he should have consulted the party.
Congress MLA Shanimol Usman, who was the first to react, also backpedalled from her stand and apologised to K Sudhakaran for her impulsive reaction in the incident. With all these statements by the Congress leaders, the leadership has been successful in presenting a unified face for the Congress party on the incident of Sudhakaran’s remark against the CM.
Communist Party Marxist (CPM) general secretary A Vijayaraghavan stated that K Sudhakaran’s statement is proof enough that the Congress party is led by the values of a rich elitist. Vijayaraghavan said this is the debasement of Congress as the party leadership has knelt before Sudhakaran’s threats.
The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPM, had reacted on Friday that the Congress leaders including Chennithala seem to have been terrified by the RSS which is behind Sudhakaran.
Amidst all these, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made a statement, while talking to the media on Friday, which is beyond these trivial talks. The CM said, he does not consider Sudhakaran’s statement that he is a toddy tapper’s son as a disgrace at all. Vijayan said, he is proud of being addressed that way.
The CM said that his father and his brother have done the work of toddy tapping. He does not find it a disgrace in any manner. Talking of Sudhakaran’s criticism that the CM travels by helicopter, Pinarayi Vijayan said, “such a criticism is not fit for the present times. People know whether my life is luxurious and extravagant.” Pinarayi added that it is understandable why the Congress leaders criticise each other in the public.
Amid all these, BJP state president K Surendran’s support for Congress MP Sudhakaran’s toddy tapper remark against the CM grabbed attention.
Toddy tapping is not a ‘bad profession’. The BJP does not consider this remark as a casteist slur. Surendran asked, how many people have been taunted by Pinarayi Vijayan?
Meanwhile, Tushar Vellapally, state president, Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) declared that the party would not pledge allegiance to any of the three fronts in Kerala in the Assembly elections. Stating that the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) yogam is an independent organisation, Tushar said BDJS has no plans of leaving the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP or allying with the UDF.
MLA and actor K.B. Ganesh Kumar denied the rumours that he is going to contest from Kottarakkara, instead of Pathanapuram in the upcoming assembly election. He said such news is being spread as part of the pre-prepared script. Ganesh said he will contest the elections from Pathanapuram this time and that there is no need to change the constituency. This is a screenplay written by someone for the benefit of someone else. Ganesh asked if such writers could not try their luck in writing screenplays for films.
The Congress reiterated on passing legislation on the Sabarimala issue that was raked up by the UDF in the last few days. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said that legislation would be passed on the matter once the UDF comes to power in Kerala. If there is any commitment, the LDF Government should be ready to pass legislation so as to protect the customs at Sabarimala Temple, said Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed. He said, once the UDF comes to power, action would be initiated in the matter.
The CM, on Friday, also responded to the Sabarimala topic raked up by the UDF. Stating that there is no issue at Sabarimala as of now, the CM said, everything is going about as usual at Sabarimala. He added that the next step or action required would be thought about in the matter only after the final verdict from the Supreme Court.
The CPM leadership, which had not reacted to the derogatory remarks by Sudhakaran initially, only responded after Congress leader Shanimol Usman publicly objected to Sudhakaran’s slur at the CM. Chennithala, who had then talked in favour of Sudhakaran, later changed his stand.
After this, the CPM responded strongly at the casteist remarks. Though Chennithala returned with the justification that he had not cast Sudhakaran aside, Sudhakaran strongly lashed out at all the Congress leaders who had criticised him for his statement. Sudhakaran sticks to his stand.
The CPM seems to be enjoying the present infighting in the Congress which had visibly unified to fight the elections. If the party leadership initiates any stringent action against Sudhakaran at this point, there would be an outburst within the Congress.
Earlier, a conflict had emerged within the Congress in the name of K Sudhakaran's controversial public statements and his criticisms against Congress leaders, soon after his calls for ‘rebuilding Congress’ under effective leadership.
The statements and criticisms made by Sudhakaran MP in ‘the mental state of a loser’ against those who put him on the defensive within the party for his casteist slur at the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has irked the Congress leadership.
It has become a headache for the Congress in the State as senior leadership and even national leader Tariq Anwar criticised Sudhakaran’s casteist slur during his Thalassery speech. While trying to defend himself, Sudhakaran strongly lashed out at Shanimol Usman, Ramesh Chennithala, and also AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Tariq Anwar. Sources close to Sudhakaran reveal that he was thinking of resigning from his positions within the party in a situation when there is a ‘collective attack’ against him.
