NEW DELHI: Taking exception to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s sarcastic comments against BJP National chief Amit Shah, Union Minister of State Alphons Kannanthanam has said that the chief minister had demeaned Shah through his words.

“What Amit Shah said was that if the government didn’t respect people’s sentiments, people would pull it down. But what he said in Hindi was not translated properly. Now, the chief minister’s attempt is to divert the people’s attention from the main issue,” he said.

In his explanatory meeting in Palakkad on Sunday, Pinarayi Vijayan had mockingly criticised Amit Shah for his fiery speech, which had taken the tone of a warning to the chief minister over Sabarimala issue.