RSS notice: Satheesan says he stands by his remarks on Golwalker's book

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said he stood by his statement that the remarks against the Constitution by former minister Saji Cheriyan were from a book penned by RSS ideologue M S Golwalker and he was ready to face any legal consequence over this.

Satheesan was replying to a question from reportes here regarding a reported legal notice sent by the RSS State leadership to him over his statement that Cheriyan's anti-Constitution remarks were similar to that of the content in Golwalker's book ''Bunch of Thoughts.

Noting that he was rejecting the notice with the ''contempt it deserves'', the Congress leader said, ''I am ready to face any legal action over this. I made the statement quoting the page number of the book.'' He further said the approach of the RSS and that of Cheriyan, who is also the State secretariat member of the CPI(M), towards the Constitution were similar.

According to media reports, the RSS sent a legal notice to Satheesan seeking an explanation from him as to where the comments were made by Golwalker in his book.

Meanwhile, BJP attacked Satheesan, saying he was opposing the RSS to garner votes of religious fundamentalists.

''Satheesan had, in 2013, taken part in a Sangh Parivar event and praised the Sangh organisations. The same Satheesan is now criticising K N A Khader who attended Kesari's event. Why does the Leader of Opposition Satheesan have this feeling of untouchability which he did not have when he was just an MLA. He is just aiming at the votebank politics,'' BJP State chief K Surendran told the reporters.

Satheesan, while addressing reporters, criticised CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balarkrishnan also for ''lavishing praise'' on Cheriyan over his resignation.

He said Cheriyan was yet to withdraw his comments against the Constitution, but Balakrishnan said he had upheld the democratic values by resigning from his post, when the controversy erupted.

The LoP said the ruling CPI(M) should have asked Cheriyan to admit what he had said about the Constitution was wrong.

Saji Cheriyan had, on Wednesday, announced his resignation amid criticism from various quarters, including the Opposition, over his controversial remarks.

During a recent political programme held in Pathanamthitta, the former minister had alleged that the Constitution of the country ''condones exploitation'' and is written in a way helping to ''plunder'' the people of the country, drawing sharp reaction from the Opposition parties which sought his immediate removal from the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF Cabinet.