BJP hits out at LDF govt over minister’s remarks on RSS

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 (PTI) Hitting out at theCPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala over its minister’sallegation that RSS is trying to turn temples into storehousesof arms in the state, BJP today said the saffron outfit is notcarrying out any illegal activities in shrines. State BJP chief Kummanom Rajasekharan challenged thegovernment to conduct raids in temples to prove the charges ofDevaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. No complaint in this regard has been received by anytemple managing committees, he said. "The operations of RSS are not confined to the four wallsof temples and it has a presence everywhere. It is foolish tothink that the activities of RSS can be checked by a ministerof the state government," Rajasekharan said. RSS’ arm is its ideology and it is in the heart of RSSworkers’, he said adding the state government also has noright to transcend into the affairs of temples, run byautonomous Devaswom Board. In an August 29 Facebook post, Surendran had alleged thatthe RSS was trying to turn temples into storehouses of arms inKerala and that the government had been receiving a largenumber of complaints in this regard. He had warned of a sternaction. Rajasekharan also questioned the government’s decision tosend two Christian ministers to Vatican City to take part inthe canonisation of Mother Teresa. State Finance Minister T M Thomas Issac and WaterResources Minster Mathew T Thomas are planning to join theIndian delegation visiting Vatican City to take part in thecelebrations. The BJP alleged leader said the LDF government led byChief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had lost its secularcharacter. "LDF government’s only achievement after 100 days inoffice is occurrence of 300 incidents of political violence inwhich CPI(M) activists are involved," he said. Nearly 1,000 CPI(M) activists are accused in cases ofpolitical violence, he added. Rajasekharan also claimed there is stagnation inin all sectors, including industry and agriculture in thestate. Taking potshots at LDF’s election slogan "If LDF comes,everything will be made all right" he said, "There was nothingin sight to indicate that something concrete would happen inthe state in the coming days". Government was only trying to create a row to divertpeople’s attention from crucial issues like failure to checkspurt in prices of essential commodities and increase ininstances of political violence. PTI JRK APRASV