In an apparent rejoinder to the critical remarks made by Congress leader K. Muraleedharan, MLA, on his Janapaksha Yatra, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V.M. Sudheeran has said that “comments made by those who have not associated with the Yatra anywhere so far are irrelevant.”
The Yatra was moving ahead with a very clear perception on the need to transform the idea of politics as it was being played out now, he said adding that from being confined to the realm of traditional party politics, there was an urgent need to take it to the politics as it was practiced during the time of national struggle when Mahatma Gandhi had taken up issues such as sanitation, Khadi, and prohibition. ‘‘We have to fight against social evils and stand firmly on the side of social justice,’’ he said.
Referring to the controversies that had been raised against his roadshow during the past few days, the KPCC chief said that it was only natural since the campaign had generated uneasiness at different levels, including among the liquor lobby.
Mr. Sudheeran came down heavily on the CPI(M) leadership whom, he said, owed an explanation to the party cadre and civil society in Kerala regarding the silence they had maintained on the burning and desecration of the memorial of P. Krishna Pillai in Alappuzha district. Alleging that the party was facing a major organisational crisis, he wanted the CPI(M) leadership to go into a deep introspection.
