The Political Crossfire: Modi vs. Vijayan Over Violence in Odisha

In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan highlighted an alleged violent incident in BJP-ruled Odisha. Vijayan accused the BJP of fostering an atmosphere of hatred and intolerance, calling for resistance to the communal politics threatening India's secular fabric.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's critique of the CPI(M) and the LDF government during his recent Kerala visit prompted a sharp retort from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Citing a purported brutal attack on a pastor in BJP-controlled Odisha, Vijayan underscored the issue on social media platform 'X'.

The Kerala CM emphasized that the assault on the pastor, accused of religious conversion in Odisha's Dhenkanal district, was indicative of a wider trend of violence and hatred fostered by the Sangh Parivar. He condemned the act, describing it as inhuman and facilitated by BJP governance's silence.

Vijayan drew parallels between the current atmosphere and the historic 1996 murder of missionary Graham Staines and his sons, asserting that secularism is under siege across India. In contrast, Modi accused the LDF government of corruption and opposing central initiatives during an NDA event in Thiruvananthapuram.

(With inputs from agencies.)