Sangh mindset: Kerala CM on Maha minister’s ‘mini Pakistan’ remark

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday vehemently criticised Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane for calling Kerala a “mini Pakistan” and said his remarks were highly “provocative” and “condemnable”.

Barb insults Constitution

The Sangh Parivar believes it can isolate a place that’s difficult for them to influence by alienating and spreading hate campaigns… amounts to insulting the Constitution.

Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala CM

“The Sangh Parivar’s basic approach towards Kerala is exposed through the words of the Maharashtra minister,” the CM said in a statement. “The Sangh Parivar believes it can isolate a place that’s difficult for them to influence by alienating and spreading hate campaigns and these statements came as part of that,” he said.

Vijayan maintained that a minister who made the hate statement “did not deserve to continue in the position”. “It is surprising that the leadership of the country’s ruling party is yet to react to the minister’s act of serious breach of oath, which amounted to insulting the country’s Constitution,” he said.

Later, in a post on X, the CM termed the Maharashtra minister’s comment as “deeply malicious and utterly condemnable”. Such rhetoric reflects the hate campaigns orchestrated by the Sangh Parivar against Kerala, a bastion of secularism and communal harmony, the CM said. “We strongly denounce this vile attack on Kerala and call upon all democratic and secular forces to unite against the Sangh Parivar’s hateful propaganda,” Vijayan said.

Rane termed Kerala a “mini Pakistan” and claimed that “all terrorists vote for Gandhis”, referring to the election victories of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

Facing sharp criticism from opposition parties for his comments, the BJP minister on Monday maintained that Kerala was very much a part of India, and that he was “merely raising issues of religious conversion of Hindus and love jihad in the southern state”.

Strongly condemning Rane’s statement, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi respond to the controversial remarks made by the Maharashtra minister.