Pinarayi Vijayan government to be blamed for failing law and order situation in Kerala: Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday attacked the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala over the declining law and order situation in the state, a day after widespread violence over women's entry in the reverted Sabarimala temple here.

 ''The law and order situation in Kerala is very alarming. Just two days ago there was an attack on the house of BJP MP V Muralidharan Ji. When the CM of Kerala gives a one-sided statement, it flares up the situation,'' Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said.

Union Minister RS Rathore: The law&order situation in Kerala is very alarming, just 2 days ago there was an attack on the house of BJP MP V Muralidharan Ji, when the CM of Kerala gives a one-sided statement it flares up the situation. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/W5mC3O3qaO — ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2019

The statement from the Union Minister came after his party alleged that the violence around the Sabarimala temple in Kerala was unleashed by the LDF government in the state, which, instead of dealing with it in a sensible way, wreaked havoc, resulting in devotees being hurt and even killed.

The saffron party also said the Sabarimala issue was about Hindus and not about the ruling party.

BJP national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao, in a press conference, claimed that Kannur, from where Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hails, had become the "epicentre" of the violence and this revealed the state government's complicity in it.

Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPM workers rocked politically volatile Kannur district in north Kerala on Saturday with a number of houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked.

Bombs were hurled at several places, including at the houses of CPI(M) MLA A N Shamseer in Madapeedikayil, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharan at Vadiyil Peedikia and former Kannur district secretary of CPI(M) P Sasi at Thalassery past midnight, police said.

No one was injured in the attacks.

"All this has been done by the CPI(M) goons with the full authority and support of the state government. The CPI(M) has a history of unleashing violence against the RSS-BJP cadre, but today, they are not even sparing the devotees," Rao alleged.

He alleged that the Kerala CM himself was responsible for the violence in the state, where so far, over 1,700 people have been arrested.

"Pinarayi Vijayan's conspiracy in this matter is clearly visible. We condemn the fact that he has politicised the issue and is using it for political gains," he alleged.

Rao appealed to the media to not see this issue from only a gender perspective. He said gender equality was an issue close to the BJP, however, this was a matter of tradition, culture, emotions and beliefs.

"Any government trying to thrust any actions on the devotees will only have negative reactions. The Supreme Court is likely to hear review petitions and I appeal to the media to see it in its complete perspective and not to get swayed by the Leftist narrative. Their narrative is for their vote bank politics," he said.

He also said the Sabarimala issue, the triple talaq case and the Ram Mandir issue were three separate issues and should not be seen from a similar perspective.