RSP upset with Congress stand on Sabarimala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM /KOLLAM: RSP general secretary T. J. Chandrachoodan has come down heavily on the Congress leadership for not taking a firm stand on the Sabarimala issue.

“The Congress has brought shame to the UDF allies as it is more concerned about votes,” he said while inaugurating the RSP’s Kollam district committee meeting.

The Congress has floundered on the Sabarimala issue, he said and added that the RSP has also suffered as a result. He opined that the Congress should have effectively countered the BJP’s game plan.

“The Congressmen were permitted to take part in the protest without carrying a flag. How can one identify them in a rally without flags? he asked.

“The Congress says there is no problem in assembling under the flags of the RSS and the BJP as otherwise it won’t get the support of Hindus. All that matters is vote. The Congress in Kerala has no standpoint,” he said.

Another UDF leader told DC that initially the Congress had stumbled on the issue. On the first five days of poojas at Sabarimala, UDF leaders N. K. Premachandran and C. P. John had mooted protests by senior leaders of the front at Nilakkal and Pampa. But at the Political Affairs Committee meeting, things took a different turn.

“A secular agenda was proposed by the UDF leadership with Hindu, Christian and Muslim leaders comprising K. M. Mani, P. K. Kunh-alikutty and Ramesh Chennithala leading the front. UDF convener Benny Behanan was also keen on this. But Chennithala and KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran could not convince Congress president Rahul Gan-dhi”, said the UDF leader.