‘Salute BJP workers’: JP Nadda slams Kerala CM over lawlessness, corruption | Latest News India

BJP national president JP Nadda on Sunday hit out at the CPI(M) government in Kerala for the alleged rise in fringe elements and rampant corruption in the state, claiming that the heat of the “gold scam” has even reached chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan‘s office.

Nadda is on a two-day visit to Kerala from Sunday as he continues with his travel to different regions of the country as part of the party’s organisational programmes and political outreach.

Addressing BJP workers in Kottayam, Nadda said, “The present CPI(M) government in the state is trying to create a situation where the government will be in a debt trap; debt almost doubled now. Even the CM’s office is not out of the frame of corruption. The heat of the gold scam has even reached the CM’s office.”

The smuggling case came to light in July 2020 after 30 kgs of gold, hidden in a package camouflaged as a diplomatic consignment addressed to the UAE consulate in Kerala, was seized by the customs department. Accused in the case Swapna Suresh, a former employee with the consulate, alleged that Vijayan, his family members and a few others were involved in the scandal.

“Lawlessness is there, fringe elements on the rise. Our workers have been murdered. I salute my workers who have been working day and night despite of all these and are going forward. In a democracy, there is no place for violence,” Nadda added.

Nadda also directed party workers to hold meetings after collectively watching Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann ki Baat at the booth level.

Nadda claimed that over the years the number of people listening to the PM’s programme has increased each month.

“I would like to request all of you that in BJP every district presidents, every mandalam president, taluk president and area president should take the initiative of witnessing the Mann ki Baat collectively at booth level,” he said.

“After the booth level witnessing of the Mann ki Baat, they should assemble, gather together and have a BJP meeting,” he said.

The direction by Nadda came while speaking to party members and supporters at Aluva near here after the PM’s monthly radio programme was broadcast.

He also said that in 93 episodes of Mann ki Baat since 2014, Modi has never talked about political issues and also only referred to social, cultural, environmental and cleanliness issues, inspiring stories of citizens, sports, etc.

Nadda also remembered Hindutva ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, the leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh which was the forerunner of BJP, on his ‘jayanthi’ and said, “He is our ideologue. He spoke of integral humanism.

(With inputs from agencies)