Kollam, 01 ഏപ്രില് (H.S.)

KOLLAM: Senior BJP leader and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a scathing attack on Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Wednesday, asserting that even God is no longer secure in a state famously known as God's Own Country. Speaking at a campaign rally in Paravur for the upcoming assembly elections, Singh accused the Left of compromising religious sanctity for financial gain.

Allegations of Betrayal

Drawing a biblical parallel, Singh likened the LDF’s actions to that of Judas. He alleged that just as Jesus was betrayed for silver, the Left government has betrayed Lord Ayyappa for pieces of gold, referring to the controversial Sabarimala gold loss cases. Singh argued that if the state cannot protect its deities, the safety of the common citizen is even more precarious. He pledged that if the NDA is voted into power, a time-bound CBI investigation would be launched into the alleged gold misappropriation at the Sabarimala shrine.

Attacks on LDF and UDF

The Defence Minister did not reserve his criticism for the Left alone. He characterized both the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) as fronts of corruption. Singh redefined the acronyms for the crowd, describing the LDF as Loot, Division, and Failure and the UDF as Untrustworthy, Dishonesty, and Fraud.

He further claimed that:

- The state’s debt has ballooned to nearly ₹5 lakh crore under the alternating rule of both fronts.

- Central funds amounting to ₹1.5 lakh crore provided between 2014 and 2024 were underutilized or blocked by the state government.

- The 2020 gold smuggling case was state-sponsored and involved individuals close to the Chief Minister’s office.

Concerns Over Security and Social Issues

Singh also raised alarms regarding the rise of religious extremism and political violence. He accused the Communist parties of a path of bloodshed, citing the killings of RSS and BJP workers. Furthermore, he criticized both major fronts for practicing appeasement politics, specifically mentioning the Munambam land dispute as an example of how such policies influence the youth toward radicalism.

Turning his attention to social issues, Singh highlighted rising crime rates, drug abuse, and unemployment. He noted that despite Kerala’s potential, young people are being forced to migrate due to a lack of local opportunities and crumbling infrastructure.

A Call for Political Shift

Reflecting on recent electoral milestones—including Suresh Gopi’s Lok Sabha victory in Thrissur—Singh expressed confidence that a political transformation is underway in Kerala. He urged voters to choose the BJP as the only viable alternative to the corrupt cycles of the LDF and UDF.

Kerala is scheduled to head to the polls on April 9, with the final results expected on May 4.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Roshith K