THIRUVALLA: Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday alleged there was”competitors” between the ruling LDF and opposition UDF fronts in Kerala to outdo one another in scams and stated they weren’t excited about folks’s welfare, however solely “lining their pockets”.
She additionally attacked the Left authorities over the Sabarimala situation, alleging that there was an try and stealthily ship ladies, who weren’t Ayyappa devotees, to the hill shrine and lift the ‘Lal Salaam” salute, a communist greeting.
Talking at a highway present at Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district, the place the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is positioned, Sitharaman flayed the police motion in opposition to devotees.
The state had witnessed violent protests by activists of the BJP and proper wing outfits two years in the past in opposition to the left authorities’s determination to implementthe 2018 Supreme Courtroom verdict, permitting ladies of all age teams to supply prayers on the shrine, the place historically, these aged between 10-50 years are barred.
“Pathnamthitta is synonymous with Swami Ayyappa.
What sort of violence, what sort of police motion (was used) in opposition to us, the bhaktas, who had been going for Swami darshanam?,” she requested.
There was a “conspiracy” to stealthily permit ladies who don’tbelieve in Ayyappa however who wish to go, stand there and say lal salaam.” Ayyappa ko salaam nahi. This can be a conspiracy. To go and hoist the pink flag of communism earlier than our pricey God Ayyappa. They may thrash us and stealthily permit ladies to go to the temple,who after they attain a sure age, can at all times go,” the BJP chief stated,a day after she attacked Devaswom minister KadakampallySurendran, saying he had sinned by unleashing police on devotees and that he can not atone it even when he does penance for 500 years.
Two ladies, of their forties, had managed to trek the hill shrine, which had led to widespread protests from Ayyappa pilgrims.
On the second day of her marketing campaign path in Kerala for the April 6 meeting polls, Sitharaman stated the 2 fronts had been competing to outdo one another over scams, together with the gold and greenback smuggling circumstances and the photo voltaic rip-off.
The LDF has been hit by the gold rip-off, regarding the seizure of 30 kg of gold price Rs 14.82 crore from a diplomatic baggage at Thiruvananthapuram airport inJuly 2020.
TheDollar case pertains to alleged smuggling of USD 1,90,000 (Rs 1.30 crore) by a former finance head of UAE consulate).
The photo voltaic panel scandal, which hit the earlier UDF authorities, relates to a few dishonest folks of crores of Rupees by promising to put in photo voltaic panels and providing franchise and jobs.
“Do we wish events like these? They do not look after the folks of Kerala and have an interest solely in lining their pockets,” theBJP chief stated.
“In as we speak’s state of affairs whereyou are always seeing corruption, violence and whole coverage of appeasement, we want folks such as you to face up and say there’s a want for an alternate. You aren’t compelled to vote for LDF or UDF. Why not the social gathering which is led by an impeccable chief like Prime Minister Narendra Modi?Is there anybody allegation of corruption, misdeed,wrongdoing in opposition to the PM ? Whereas there’s competitors in Kerala for scams– Gold and greenback scams,photo voltaic and drug peddling scams,” she stated.
Referringto the Rs 5,000 crore MoU signed with the US based mostly EMCC, which was later shelved, Sitharaman stated the fisheries challenge was given by invitation to a US firm.
The fisheries minister J Mercykutty had first stated she didn’t find out about it, hut later stated it had been shelved.
A state like Kerala, which is wealthy in fisheries, was taking away the livelihood of the fishing group and giving it to the Individuals, she alleged.
“After which the state authorities factors fingers on the Centre to say that theUnion Governmentwas not respecting federalism,”Sitharaman stated.
On the gold and greenback circumstances, Sitharaman stated ministers, together with a handpicked officer of the Chief Minister, at the moment are answeringquestions of investigating businesses.
At every other place there would have been protests and dharnas and outrage by the opposition.
However in Kerala, Congress was not excited about asking questions, fearing that the LDF will increase allegations of the photo voltaic rip-off, she stated.
