Kerala blast: Kerala CM slams union minister, BJP leaders for communally charged comments

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday slammed union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and other BJP leaders who intentionally made communally-charged comments after the Kalamassery blasts which killed three and injured over 50 followers of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Without naming the minister, Vijayan read out Chandrasekhar’s comments made on X, formerly Twitter, where he had posted that the blasts in Kerala was “dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) @pinarayivijayan besieged by corruption charges. Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians". Chandrasekhar had posted the communal comment even before the investigations had concluded who was responsible for the heinous act.

The Kerala Chief Minister said this came from a communal mindset. "This is a highly prejudiced approach with a clear intention to target a particular community. It is part of their communal agenda," underscored Pinarayi. "On what basis has he made these statements? Was he in possession of any sensitive information that prompted him to make such a statement? This is a grave issue. People should not be misled. We will take this on legally," pointed out the Chief Minister.

Before Dominic Martin made his confession, Chandrasekhar had also said that the blast happened just 24 hours after the LDF government gave permission to an event that had a Hamas leader inciting people to violence against non-believers. The minister was referring to the online address made by former Hamas chief Khaled Mashal at a meeting organised in support of Palestine by the Solidarity Youth Movement in Malappuram on 28 October.

Another of Chandrasekhar’s divisive tweets on Sunday virtually stated that the blast was the direct consequence of Mashal's speech. "Price of appeasement politics of Cong and CPM will always be borne by innocents of all communities - That is what history has taught us. Brazen appeasement politics - shameless even by Cong/CPM/UPA/INDIA alliance standards to invite Terrorist Hamas to spread hate & call for "Jihad" in Kerala. This is height of irresponsible madness politics. Enough!"

At the meeting, Vijayan said, “A person who holds the post of minister should have shown at least some respect to the investigating agencies. Though the Kerala police is probing the incident now, we all saw reports that central agencies have also reached the site.”

The CM noted that BJP has taken a stand targeting a particular group, and it was part of their communal stand, but Kerala has never been on that agenda.

In the press conference, the Kerala CM pointed out that several other BJP leaders including Amit Malviya, the in-charge of BJP's National Information and Technology Department, had alluded to the anti-Israel stand of the top political parties in Kerala, and hinted at the possible link between appeasement politics and the Kalamassery blast.

“The Congress and Left parties appear to portray Israel as the villain and Hamas as messengers of peace. This political competition in whitewashing Hamas is a cause for concern as pointed out by Bishop Tharayil,” wrote Malaviya on X, quoting an article.

The Auxiliary Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Changanassery Thomas Tharayil, on 27 October, had expressed disappointment over attempts to whitewash Hamas.

Though Union minister V Muraleedharan was cautious in his public utterances, BJP state president K Surendran squarely blamed the bomb blasts to the appeasement politics of the CPM. He said the state government's reluctance to take action even after a Hamas leader made provocative statements at a meeting organised by the youth wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami was "suspicious".

"This should be read along with the failure of the state government to act even after anti-national slogans were raised at the pro-Hamas rally organised by the Muslim League in Kozhikode," said Surendran.

Noting that such statements should be viewed with seriousness, Pinarayi Vijayan also urged people not to fall for such campaigns. He warned that the state would take stringent action against those who unleashed venomous campaigns through social media platforms on the Kalamassery blasts.

The Chief Minister also assured that whoever be the accused, they would be brought before the law to ensure maximum punishment.

Meanwhile, a 21-member special investigation team (SIT) of the Kerala Police, headed by ADGP Ajith Kumar, has been constituted to probe the case.

A few hours after the incident, a man claiming to be a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, saying that he carried out the multiple blasts.

Police has registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC as well as provisions of the Explosives Act and the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).