Union minister Muraleedharan hits out at CPI(M), Congress for ‘doublespeak’

Union minister V Muraleedharan on Monday accused the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) and the Congress of doublespeak and said both the parties are upset about Thalassery Archdiocese Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany’s statement assuring support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He said the two parties are only worried about vote banks and not the welfare of farmers.

Pamplany addressed a protest rally of the Catholic Congress in Kerala’s Kannur and said the archdiocese will support the BJP if the Union government raised the rubber price. Both Kerala’s Opposition Congress and ruling CPI(M) criticised his statement.

Muraleedharan quoted the bishop saying they are ready to support any party that will work for the farmer’s welfare. “After that, there has been cyberbullying, attacks, and criticism against him. The Thalaserry archbishop said BJP is not untouchable. I welcome this statement that the BJP being in power does not stop the Church from holding discussions with the government.”

He added the archbishop was speaking on behalf of the farmers. “When the Bishop of Palla spoke about the narcotics Jihad, he was criticised too. There was vehement criticism against him. Is freedom of speech denied to them because they are Christians... This double standard of the Congress and the CPI(M) shows they are concerned about their vote banks and not the farmers.”

In response to a question on attacks on minorities, he said when incidents happen in other states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is blamed. “...In your states you do not take responsibility and blame the Prime Minister. This is the double standard of Congress. What stops the Chhattisgarh government from taking action.”

The BJP and its ideological fount, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, have been making overtures towards the Christian community in Kerala to expand its footprint in the state. Their leaders have been meeting Church representatives for confidence building and to assure them the BJP does not have an anti-minority agenda.

Muraleedharan said Modi was portrayed as anti-minorities by the Congress, but bishops and minorities do not accept the argument. “His acceptance is beyond communities and religions.”