Kozhikode: The state Congress chief claimed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was trying to divert attention to Sabarimala to hide the government's mishandling of the flood tragedy. Congress is planning to organise farmers and people from flood-affected regions in the state to protest against the apathy of the LDF government, Mullappally Ramachandran revealed while also slamming the state government over the situation in Sabarimala.
The KPCC chief demanded the government to write off farmers' loans to the tune of Rs 2 lakh on the lines of new Congress governments that took charge in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
“In a state that is badly affected by floods, the government has not even prepared a draft plan for the reconstruction. Instead,it has announced an instant relief of Rs 13,000. Farmers are on the verge of agitation. They lost their land and the prices of commodities have hit a low,” the KPCC chief said. The party's political affairs committee, scheduled to be convened in Thiruvananthapuram on December 29, will decide on the agitation for farmers, he added.
Referring to the latest commotion in Sabarimala, Mullappally claimed the government is staging a drama over the issue.
“Sabarimala is not the most important issue Kerala is currently facing. The government is staging a drama (over it)... the latest being held with the participation of the Manithi team. The CPM in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are behind this," the KPCC chief said. "IG-level officers are being used to escort women to Sabarimala. Congress has been clear in its stand on Sabarimala till now and now the public has understood it. Our stand was in line with a democratic and secular society,” he added.
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