KPCC president M.M. Hassan ended his 24-hour fast here on Wednesday with a tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of stoking communal tension and polarising the country.
Ending his agitation with a glass of lemonade offered by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Mr. Hassan said the time had come for a second Independence movement to liberate the country from the dark forces of communal fascism. Pointing out that 30 people had lost their lives to the wave of cow vigilantism across the country, he alleged that the BJP was encouraging the drive against cow slaughter to fan communal feelings.
A pressnote issued by the KPCC said hundreds of people from different walks of life had visited the venue of the agitation to express solidarity with Mr. Hassan.
Addressing the gathering, Mr.Chandy said the Modi government had shifted its focus from the Make in India campaign to dividing India. The Congress, he said, would join hands with secular forces to protect the country’s pluralism and diversity.
Indian Union Muslim League general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, MP, said minorities and Dalits were being hounded in the name of cattle slaughter as the government turned its back on burning issues like price rise, slowing economic growth, the death of children at Gorakhpur and border conflicts.
KPCC general secretary Thampanoor Ravi presided.