Alleging a nexus between the BJP at the Centre and the LDF in Kerala, senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress and UDF vow to fight BJP and the RSS ideology. “The BJP will fight its opponent every minute of the day, and yet the central agencies are going slow against the gold smuggling accused officer who did it from the Kerala Chief Minister’s office. Why is that so, when the left claims that they are fighting the BJP?” said Rahul, while inaugurating the concluding session of the Aiswarya Kerala Yatra.
Further hitting out against the LDF government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Rahul said, “The LDF claimed that they would make Kerala perfect. Perfect for whom? For the people or the left organisations?” he asked, adding that the brilliant youngsters of a dynamic state are walking around without jobs. “If you are a member of the left organisation, then there are opportunities for you. However, if you are not, then you have to protest and fast and still, the CM wouldn’t care about you. Instead, they will unleash violence upon the protestors,” he added.
Adding to this, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said that they had brought to the fore many allegations of the LDF government, as well as revealed the various projects that pushed the people of the state into debt. “The LDF had a saying: Chuck the American and British agents into the Arabian Sea. Now they are trying to bring an American ship into the Arabian Sea, backstabbing the poor coastal communities,” he said, adding that the UDF must stand together with the people to bring down the “corrupt” LDF government.
The yatra, which was led by Kerala Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, started from Mancheshwaram in Kasargod on January 31 and finishes its 23-day long journey in Thiruvananthapuram. The event at Shanghumugham beach saw the participation of senior UDF leaders including KPCC President Mullappally Ramachandran, IUML’s Kunhalikutty, MM Hassan, and so on. AICC General Secretary Tariq Anwar was also on the stage.
“By the end of the journey led by Ramesh Chennithala, the yatra was able to bring together the UDF as well as the people of Kerala. It is deserving of high praise,” said former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The one purpose of the yatra was to communicate with the people in all the constituencies to understand and find solutions for the people. “The yatra aimed to merge with the people of Kerala — students, farmers, fisherfolk, elders, sisters, and mothers. The spirit of the yatra is of humility, as we want you to tell us what your problems are, to listen to your troubles and find solutions,” said Rahul Gandhi, describing the essence of the campaign.
Talking about the UDF manifesto, the Wayanad MP said that it is not a party manifesto, but that of the people. “It will contain the demands of the people, and I can guarantee that we will strive to fulfil each and every one of them. Moreover, we promise you that we will not join forces with agents that want to destroy the lives of the farmers and the fisherfolk,” he said. The UDF manifesto for Kerala will also feature the signature Nyaay scheme, cashless treatment, and insurance for all.
He also hit out against the BJP government, saying that the Centre has been bringing out different policies — Demonetisation, GST, and the three Farm Bills among others — to help the richest people in the country. “The Farm Bills take land and rights away from the people to help a few businessmen pursue their profit agenda. The BJP Centre has been chipping away at India’s economy to bolster the purses of four people,” said Rahul, adding that he would stand his ground and keep fighting the saffron party.
Following the events at the concluding rally, Rahul Gandhi went to interact with the PSC protestors at the Secretariat. He started his interaction with the CPO rank holders, accompanied by Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, Oommen Chandy, and KC Venugopal.
