THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Responding to the casteist remark made against him by Congress MP K Sudhakaran, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that it is a matter of pride to say that he is the son of a tapper. The CM said that he does not think that Sudhakaran had insulted him and that there was no insult or ambiguity in the reference. He also pointed out that his father and brother were tappers.

'I don't see anything wrong with that. I have already said that I am the son of a tapper. My older brother was also a tapper. He lived as a tapper until he was healthy. The second brother also knew the work. But he then switched to a bakery job. That was my family background. So, I see it as a matter of pride. My family is actually a family of farmers. Being the son of a tapper does not seem to be an insult in any way”, the CM said.

The CM said that he and Sudhakaran know each other since the time he came to study at Brennan college and that he did not seem to have insulted him by calling him the son of a tapper. The CM asked how calling him the son of a tapper can be considered an insult. He pointed out that it would be embarrassing to be the son of a person who was involved in any other misconduct.