News Analysis India

Tag: Kerala

  • Kerala news: Kerala leader triggers controversy, calls for “separate Malabar” state; BJP hits back

    Sunni Yuvajana Sangam (SYS) leader Mustafa Mundupara has stirred a fresh controversy in Kerala after he advocated the idea of a “separate Malabar state”.

    Speaking at a protest organised on the issue of lack of seats in class 11 in the Malabar region on Monday, Mundupara said that Southern Kerala and Malabar people are paying the same taxes and should get the same facilities.

    “When we see this injustice like southern Kerala and Malabar, if there is demand from any part that there needs to be a separate Malabar state, we can’t blame them. If the people of Malabar are paying the same tax as that of southern Kerala, we should get the same facilities here. There is no point in saying it is separatism. What will happen in the country if there is a Malabar state,” he said.Meanwhile, the BJP hit back at Mundupara over his remarks and said that the party will fight any move to divide Kerala.

    Kerala BJP chief, K Surendran said, “Anyone who believes that the banning of the Popular Front has eradicated extremist forces in Kerala is gravely mistaken. The audacity of SYS leader Mustafa Mundupara in demanding the division of Kerala, coupled with the silence of Pinarayi Vijayan and vdsatheesan, starkly reveals the harsh truth: The Congress and Communist parties in Kerala are on their knees, shamelessly compromising national integrity for votes.”

    “These political entities are the biggest obstacles to PM Narendra Modi Ji’s unwavering mission to eliminate separatist forces from our nation. The BJP will fight tooth and nail against any move to divide Kerala,” he added.Student organisations of the Congress Party, KSU and Muslim League are demanding more seats for class 11 in the Malabar region.The Malabar region comprises of districts Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasargod.

  • Suresh Gopi on Indira Gandhi: Suresh Gopi clarifies ‘mother of India’ reference about Indira Gandhi

    A day after his reference to former prime minister Indira Gandhi as “mother of India” received widespread attention, Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday clarified that he called the late leader the mother of the Congress party in the country and his remarks were misinterpreted by the media.

    The actor-turned-politician said he was a person talking from the heart and he firmly believed that there was nothing wrong in what he said about Indira Gandhi.

    While addressing the media here, the BJP leader asked the reporters whether they don’t understand the “contextual meaning of language.” “What did I say? As far as the Congress is concerned…whether anyone likes it or not… K Karunakaran is the father of the Congress party in Kerala. In India, its mother is Indira Gandhi. I said this from my heart,” Suresh Gopi said.

    The minister of state for petroleum and tourism, however, continued to lavish praises on Indira Gandhi on Sunday as well.

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    “Indira Gandhi is the real architect of India post independence and until her demise. I have to make these attributions anyway. I cannot forget a person who had worked sincerely for the country only because she belonged to the political rival party,” he added. While visiting the memorial of late Congress Chief Minister K Karunakaran in Thrissur on Saturday, Gopi had described Indira Gandhi as the “mother of India” and Karunakaran as a “courageous administrator”. The BJP leader had also said that he considered Karunakaran and Marxist veteran E K Nayanar his “political gurus”.

    Gopi said as he viewed Indira Gandhi as “bharathathinte mathavu” (mother of India), Karunakaran was the “father of the Congress party in the state” for him.

    He explained that describing Karunakaran as the “father” of the Congress in Kerala was not a disrespect to the founders or co-founders of the grand old party in the state.

    Gopi won the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat recently, opening the BJP’s electoral account in Kerala. Thrissur had witnessed a three-way contest for the Lok Sabha polls, with major candidates from the Congress, BJP, and CPI locked in a neck-and-neck battle.

  • Third Eye: Kerala leaders’ pain in Delhi, Badruddin Ajmal in sweet mood, and Sanjay Raut’s theory

    From Boiling Point to Rain Relief: Both BJP and Congress leaderships had brought their respective party leaders from Kerala to Delhi to campaign among the Malayalee pockets of the national capital. While these Kerala functionaries did their job, most of them wilted due to Delhi’s unfamiliar simmering summer and heat wave. Done with their job, some of them said the biggest relief was the certain prospect of returning to the torrential downpour lashing across Kerala.

    Already in ‘Sweet Mood’: Looks like AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal believes in early celebrations. Confident of victory, he is preparing a list of people to whom he will send packets of sweets. Seeking re-election from Dhubri, Ajmal is pitted against Congress’ Rakibul Hussain. Ajmal, who is an MP since 2009, said that the largest packets would be sent to MLA and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi and AJP leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Both are Congress allies. He said the packets will also be sent to Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah.

    Who is Lying? Game on: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has claimed in his weekly column in ‘Saamana’ that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, at the behest of the PM and Amit shah, has helped Congress’ Vikas Thakre to defeat Union minister Nitin Gadkari. While BJP leaders and even Thakre have slammed Raut, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar took on Raut with an interesting word play. He claimed that Raut always had a habit of lying, but it has now become an ‘addiction’. Mungantiwar added that due to his ‘fertile imagination’, Raut was churning out such ‘barren ideas’.

  • Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan: Left govt in Kerala enters fourth year, CM says extreme poverty will be eradicated by 2025

    As the Left government in Kerala marks its fourth year in office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday the government plans to develop a knowledge economy and eradicate extreme poverty in the state by November 1, 2025. Listing out achievements of the Kerala government, Vijayan said in a statement that the consecutive Left governments have focused on developing basic infrastructure in the state.

    “This government is striving to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy, emphasising achievements in infrastructure development and the welfare sector. As part of it, we are addressing deficiencies and eliminating gaps in various areas. Kerala already has the lowest poverty rate in India, and we are now taking steps towards eradicating extreme poverty. By November 1, 2025, Kerala aims to become a state free of extreme poverty,” Vijayan said.

    Vijayan said that while the Union government fails to fill the numerous vacancies in various Central government establishments, including the Indian Railways and other Central public sector undertakings, the Kerala Public Service Commission stands as a model for the entire country. “The Left government has given 2.5 lakh jobs through the PSC since 2016. The government has also created 30,000 more posts, and a special recruitment board was formed for the recruitment in the state public sector undertakings,” Vijayan said. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesVijayan said the Left government has received various global accolades and recognition, but the Union government is choking the state through financial strangulation. He claimed that when the UDF government was in power in 2016, Kerala’s own revenue constituted only 26 per cent of the state’s total revenue, while under the LDF government, it has significantly increased to 73 per cent. “There has been a Rs 30,000 crore increase in tax revenue. In recent years, Kerala has managed to fund most of its expenditures through its own revenue sources. We had achieved this despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Vijayan added.

    Vijayan said the general education system in the state, which was in shambles during the UDF rule, was upgraded to international standards by the Left government.

  • Over 2.75 Crore Voters To Vote For 194 Contestants In 20 Lok Sabha Seats In Kerala Tomorrow |

    Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 194 contestants in 20 Lok Sabha seats are vying for voters’ support as Kerala goes to the polls on Friday, after over a month-long fierce campaign by the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF, Congress-headed UDF, and the BJP-led NDA. The Election Commission said there are over 2.75 crore voters in Kerala where polling will commence at 7 am on Friday.

    Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said 63,100 bottles of ink are used to prevent fraudulent voting and ensure flawless and transparent elections. This time there are 2,77,49,159 voters in the state out of which more than five lakh are first-time voters.

    Kottayam constituency boasts the highest number of candidates at 14, while Alathur has the fewest at five. Other notable figures are – 13 candidates in Kozhikode and 12 each in Kollam and Kannur. Of the total 194 candidates, 169 are men and 25 are women. The Vadakara constituency stands out with the highest number of female candidates, at four.

    The Election Commission said steps have been taken to ensure safe and peaceful polling by deploying 66,303 security personnel. Kerala Police and Central forces are providing tight security for the polling in a total of 25,231 booths arranged at 13,272 places.

    Police deployment has been made throughout the state as per the instructions of the Central Election Commission. When the polling for 20 constituencies in the state begins at 7 am on Friday, more than five lakh first-time voters will go to the polling booth.

    As the curtains fell on Wednesday evening, marking the conclusion of the over-month-long, high-octane public campaigning for the April 26 polls, Kerala on Thursday witnessed a silent campaign before the state votes.

    Two union ministers, a state minister, three actors and a few MLAs are among the total candidates who try their political luck this time. BJP-led NDA is fielding the most number of women candidates – five. Unlike the previous general elections, Kerala has seen a highly active and aggressive campaign.

    Diverse issues ranging from the implementation of the CAA, the alleged existence of ‘love jihad’, controversies surrounding ‘The Kerala Story’ movie, the Manipur violence, Rahul Gandhi’s candidature in Wayanad, as well as alleged appeasement of minorities by various political parties, dominated the high-decibel public campaigns.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the UDF won 19 of the 20 seats, while the LDF had to settle for just a single seat.

    Key Candidates And Constituencies To Look Out For

    Of the 20 constituencies in Kerala going to polls on Friday, two seats – Alathur and Mavelikara- are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates.

    1. Wayanad: Congress leader and sitting MP Rahul Gandhi is recontesting against Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Both of them are part of the national INDIA alliance but are rivals in Kerala. Congress has been winning in Wayanad since the 2009 general elections. BJP, which is yet to open its account in the state, has fielded its state president K Surendran in the constituency.

    2. Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor won this seat in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections. The former UN diplomat is contesting against BJP leader and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI’s Pannyan Raveendran.

    3. Kollam: Sitting MP NK Premachandran (RSP) is pitted against two actor-turned-politicians – Mukesh, an MLA of CPI-M, and G Krishnakumar (BJP).

    4. Thrissur: K Muraleedharan of Congress is pitted against VS Sunil Kumar of CPI and actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi of BJP

    5. Attingal: Sitting MP Adoor Prakash of Congress is contesting against V Joy of CPM and V Muraleedharan of BJP.

    6. Pathanamthitta: Congress’ Anto Antony is competing against Thomas Issac from the CPI(M) and Anil K Antony of the BJP.

    7. Kasaragod: BJP candidate ML Ashwini is pitted against Congress’ Rajmohan Unnithan, who is the sitting MP in the constituency, and CPI (M)’s MV Balakrishnan.

    8. Kannur: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran is contesting against CPI(M)’s MV Jayarajan and NDA candidate C Raghunath, who had joined the BJP from Congress.

    9. Vadakara: Congress leader Shafi Parambil, who is a UDF candidate, is contesting against LDF candidate KK Shailaja of the CPI(M) and Praphul Krishnan (BJP).

    10. Kozhikode: Congress’ MK Raghavan, the UDF candidate, is running against CPI(M)’s Elamaram Kareemm, the LDF candidate, and BJP’s MT Ramesh.

    11. Malappuram: ET Mohammed Basheer of the IUML is the UDF candidate against CPI(M)’s VA Vaseef, the LDF candidate, and Abdul Salam from Bharatiya Janata Party.

    12. Ponnani: Nivedita Subramanian of BJP is facing Abdussamad Samadani of IUML and KS Hamza of the CPI (M).

    13. Palakkad: C Krishnakumar from Bharatiya Janata Party is contesting against A Vijayaraghavan of Communist Party Of India (Marxist), and sitting MP VK Sreekandan from Congress

    14. Alathur: TN Sarasu of the BJP is contesting Ramya Haridas of Congress and K Radhakrishnan of CPI(M)

    15. Chalakudy: Benny Behanan of Congress is the UDF candidate and is contesting against CPI(M)’s C Raveendranath and KA Unnikrishnan from Bharath Dharma Jana Sena

    16. Ernakulam: Hibi Eden of UDF is facing CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front KJ Shine and KS Radhakrishnan of the BJP.

    17. Idukki: UDF’s Dean Kuriakose of the Congress is up against Sangeetha Viswanath from Bharath Dharma Jana Sena and Joice George from the Communist Party Of India (Marxist)

    18. Kottayam: Thushar Vellappalli from Bharath Dharma Jana Sena is contesting against K Francis George of Kerala Congress and Thomas Chazhikadan of Kerala Congress (M).

    19. Alappuzha: KC Venugopal from Congress, Shobha Surendran from Bharatiya Janata Party and AM Ariff from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) are in the fray. Ariff is the sitting MP from the seat.

    20. Mavelikkara: UDF’s Kodikkunnil Suresh is pitted against CPI(M)’s Arun Kumar CA and and Baiju Kalasala of BDJS.

  • Shashi Tharoor denies receiving defamation notice sent by BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar ‘Not received…’ – The Economic Times Video

    Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), April 11 (ANI): Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor on April 11 denied receiving any defamation notice sent against him by BJP’s LS Candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Shashi Tharoor said that he hasn’t received the notice yet and when it shows up it will get a suitable reply. He said, “I have not received the notice. God knows which address he sent it to…At some point, it will show up and it will get a suitable reply. It should be pointed out that I at no stage made any specific allegation. I merely said that this is the talk of the town, not just of the town but the coastal belt as well and that people are talking about this practice happening…I’ve heard this from various people, including people of some prominence in the local community…I have an election to fight. If this is the way they or somebody on their behalf wants to do it, all I can say is I’m glad they’re pumping money into Thiruvananthapuram’s economy.

  • ‘Who is Tipu Sultan?’: Kerala BJP Chief Promises To Rename Sultan Bathery Town If He Wins Election, Sparks Row |

    NEW DELHI: Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president K Surendran has ignited a heated debate by promising to rename Sultan Bathery town in Wayanad to Ganapativattam if he emerges victorious in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The proposal, which hinges on historical arguments, seeks to revert the town’s name to its original name, Ganapativattam, asserting that it was changed during Tipu Sultan’s invasion.

    Questioning Tipu Sultan’s Legacy

    In a recent interview, Surendran questioned the legacy of Tipu Sultan, asking, “Who is Tipu Sultan?” and challenging his relevance to the people of Wayanad. He emphasized the importance of restoring the town’s original name, Ganapativattam, suggesting that it symbolizes its association with Lord Ganesh.

     

    State BJP president and candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat K. Surendran announced that he will change the name of Sultan Bathery town to its original name Ganapathivattam if he wins. pic.twitter.com/gYwmb2U8KR
    — IANS (@ians_india) April 11, 2024

     

    Complex History & Allegations Of Religious Atrocities

    Surendran’s proposal delves into the intricate history of the region, particularly its resistance against Tipu Sultan’s invasion. He alleges that Tipu Sultan perpetrated religious atrocities in Wayanad and Malabar, leading to the conversion of Hindus and attacks on temples. Surendran accuses both his political rivals, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Alliance and the Congress-led United Democratic Front, of aligning with the ideology of Tipu Sultan and renaming the town Sultan Bathery.

    Honouring Historical Roots

    According to Surendran, renaming Sultan Bathery to Ganapativattam would not only honour its historical roots but also pay homage to those who valiantly opposed foreign aggression. The proposal underscores the significance of preserving local heritage amidst political discourse.

    Elections In Kerala

    Surendran’s stance adds a new dimension to the electoral landscape in Wayanad, where he is contesting against the Communist Party of India (CPI)’s Annie Raja and the sitting Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi. The upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala, slated for April 26, are poised to witness heightened political fervour as various parties vie for supremacy in the state, which sends 20 parliamentarians to the Lok Sabha. The outcome of this electoral battle will undoubtedly shape the political trajectory of the region.

  • sainik schools: Kerala Minister writes to Rajnath Singh on politicisation of Sainik schools

    Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty has written to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressing concern about the alleged politicisation of Sainik Schools. According to a statement issued by Sivankutty’s office on Friday, the minister in his letter has said that handing over running Sainik Schools to organisations with political affiliations will erode the independence and openness of the institutions.

    “Sainik Schools are important institutions for future defence personnel and therefore, should not be dragged into politics at any level. “For this reason, I request you to maintain the reputation of these establishments to guarantee national security and ensure fairness in education,” the minister has said in his letter to Singh.

    Recently, an online media platform — ‘The Reporters’ Collective’ — had reported that the government handed over 62 per cent of the new Sainik Schools to people associated with Sangh Parivar, politicians from the BJP and its allies. Citing the report, the CPI(M)’s national leadership had alleged that a significant number of private institutions which have entered into an agreement with the Sainik School Society to run new Sainik Schools have RSS-BJP links.

    The Left party had also condemned the government for facilitating the participation of private players to run Sainik Schools and said the move reinforces “communalisation of education” and can also impact the “high secular standards” of military establishment.

    The report was rejected by the Defence Ministry which had asserted that a rigorous selection process was followed to finalise institutions to run the new Sainik Schools. “The political or ideological affiliation or otherwise of the applicant institution does not influence the selection process,” it had said. “Attempts to politicise or distort the objectives and implementation of the scheme by casting aspersions on it are unwarranted and misleading,” the ministry had added.

  • Congress: Congress declines support offered by PFI arm SDPI

    The Congress and the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala on Thursday declined the electoral support extended three days earlier by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

    The Congress publicly spurned the offer of support after it came under fire from both the BJP and the Left for allegedly seeking support from the party sponsored by the proscribed PFI.

    “The Congress and the UDF oppose communalism, be it by the majority or minority communities, alike. We will not accept the support of such organisations. This is our view about the support extended by SDPI to UDF also,” VD Satheesan, leader of the opposition in Kerala, said hours after the top Left and BJP leaders intensified their attacks on the Congress over the matter. Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan sharpened the criticism of the Left on Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad contest. He said the Congress, fearing a BJP attack, hid its own flags in order to make ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) not to display its green flags at Gandhi’s roadshow in Wayanad on Wednesday.

  • LS Polls 2024: ‘Not just an election for me but a mission…’ says Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar – The Economic Times Video

    While speaking on his preparations for 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that it’s not just an election for him but a mission. He said that he aims to set Thiruvananthapuram, the constituency from where is contesting from, on a path forward to start gaining benefits of schemes of PM Modi’s governance.He further said, “It’s not just an election for me but a mission where I can put Thiruvananthapuram at a path that it can move forward and starts gaining benefits of schemes of PM Modi’s governance. This election is about the performance of the sitting MP and about which govt has delivered. Opposition parties don’t want to discuss performance, the economy but everything else.”