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 mentioned they weren’t concerned with individuals’s welfare, however solely “lining their pockets”.
She additionally attacked the Left authorities over the Sabarimala problem, 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 street present at Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district, the place the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is positioned, Sitharaman flayed the police motion towards devotees.
The state had witnessed violent protests by activists of the BJP and proper wing outfits two years in the past towards the left authorities’s determination to implementthe 2018 Supreme Court docket 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) towards us, the bhaktas, who have been going for Swami darshanam?,” she requested.
There was a “conspiracy” to stealthily permit ladies who don’tbelieve in Ayyappa however who need to go, stand there and say lal salaam.” Ayyappa ko salaam nahi. This can be a conspiracy. To go and hoist the crimson flag of communism earlier than our pricey God Ayyappa. They may thrash us and stealthily permit ladies to go to the temple,who once they attain a sure age, can at all times go,” the BJP chief mentioned,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 mentioned the 2 fronts have been competing to outdo one another over scams, together with the gold and greenback smuggling instances and the photo voltaic rip-off.
The LDF has been hit by the gold rip-off, referring to the seizure of 30 kg of gold value 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 some dishonest individuals of crores of Rupees by promising to put in photo voltaic panels and providing franchise and jobs.
“Do we would like events like these? They do not look after the individuals of Kerala and have an interest solely in lining their pockets,” theBJP chief mentioned.
“In at the moment’s state of affairs whereyou are continually seeing corruption, violence and complete coverage of appeasement, we want individuals such as you to face up and say there’s a want for another. You aren’t compelled to vote for LDF or UDF. Why not the celebration which is led by an impeccable chief like Prime Minister Narendra Modi?Is there anybody allegation of corruption, misdeed,wrongdoing towards the PM ? Whereas there’s competitors in Kerala for scams– Gold and greenback scams,photo voltaic and drug peddling scams,” she mentioned.
Referringto the Rs 5,000 crore MoU signed with the US primarily based EMCC, which was later shelved, Sitharaman mentioned the fisheries venture was given by invitation to a US firm.
The fisheries minister J Mercykutty had first mentioned she didn’t learn about it, hut later mentioned 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 People, she alleged.
“After which the state authorities factors fingers on the Centre to say that theUnion Governmentwas not respecting federalism,”Sitharaman mentioned.
On the gold and greenback instances, Sitharaman mentioned ministers, together with a handpicked officer of the Chief Minister, are actually answeringquestions of investigating businesses.
At another place there would have been protests and dharnas and outrage by the opposition.
However in Kerala, Congress was not concerned with asking questions, fearing that the LDF will elevate allegations of the photo voltaic rip-off, she mentioned.
