Minister Cherian 'helps' Congress come out of muddle

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Saji Cherian's 'communal polarisation' swerved the politics of Kerala to a different direction. Cherian's remark came to the fore at a time when Opposition Leader, VD Satheesan, was attacked from both ends by the SNDP General Secretary and the NSS General Secretary. Cherian's remark came as a boon for Congress, as they were sweating, unable to defend themselves against the attack on the opposition leader.

Although a clarification was made over the controversy, Congress and UDF heated up the issue. There was also an interpretation that the remark was made with the knowledge of the Chief Minister and the party. The controversy intensified when organisations, including the Muslim League and Samastha, came out against the minister.

Saji Cherian's remarks came shortly after the Chief Minister said at the Samastha meeting that there should be no soft approach against communalism. Saji Cherian said that his words were distorted in a way to play politics.

VD Satheesan remarked that the Cherian who took the oath as a minister under the constitution made a dangerous and communally hateful statement. He accused the CPM of mimicking the Sangh Parivar and accused the chief minister of abetting it.

Muslim League State President Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal responded that the League never endorses communal polarisation for the sake of four votes and asked Saji Cherian to take up his lessons more carefully. PK Kunhalikutty also said that the minister's statement showed the lack of confidence of the government ahead of the assembly polls.

Earlier, CPM leader A K Balan said that if UDF comes to power, Jamaat-e-Islami will take up the home ministry, and there will be a repeat of religious riots like what happened in Maradu.