M.M. Hassan, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson, on Sunday, attributed political motives to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's statement on the agenda of a few fringe communal groups.
At a press conference here, Mr. Hassan said the Chief Minister should not have made such a remark, being a person holding a post of authority and responsibility and seasoned politician. It would only add credence to these fringe groups.
In reply to a question on what the political motives were, Mr. Hassan said the Chief Minister was playing the majority card to appease the majority community.
He said the Congress had offered unconditional support to the State government to tackle terrorist activities in the State. However, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Chief Minister were trying to make capital out of these by adopting dubious positions. Instead of taking strong action against those linked with terrorists and suppressing them, the statements and actions of the Chief Minister and the Home Minister were intended to achieve this political and communal polarisation.
Mr. Hassan traced the roots of the attack on a professor in Muvattupuzha by suspected extremists to the alleged attempt of the CPI(M) to tamper with textbooks, which, he said, taught children to reject religion. Similarly, the Home Minister had justified the killing of a schoolteacher in front of his students a few years ago, he alleged. Such attempts only served to create a climate for the Thodupuzha incident. How could these leaders take a strong stand, he wondered.
Strong action sought
G. Sugunan, Communist Marxist Party leader, said the Chief Minister, instead of making such statements, should take strong action against terrorist forces, including those organisations which fostered a communal agenda.
