Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the United Democratic Front (UDF) of aligning with Left and right wing extremist organisations in its fight against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the State.
Inaugurating a workshop organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] as a prelude to the local body elections here on Monday, Mr. Vijayan said that those who had been yearning to form a front of right wing forces against the LDF had emerged as the champions of the new formation.
The UDF that had been maintaining overt and covert links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was now having ties with the Jamaat-e-Islami, SDPI and such other right wing parties. Prominent leaders of the UDF had addressed a protest organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami on Tuesday last. Leaders of the SDPI had also addressed the protest.
The UDF which was losing its ground was ready to cooperate with any communal and extremist elements. Supporting the Islamic theocratic State against Hindu theocracy being propounded by the RSS would only help the latter. Communalism could be countered only with secularism.
Neither the SDPI nor the Jamaat-e-Islami would have any role in the joint protest against such communalism. Now joint protests were being organised by keeping such elements at bay. A majority of the people in the State were strong votaries of secularism, he said.
Nokkukooli
Mr. Vijayan rued that the ‘nokkukooli’ system of headload workers charging hefty sums for loading and unloading goods was still prevalent in the State. Despite the government imposing a ban on the practice, isolated incidents were still being reported. This had come to the notice of the government. Stringent action would be taken against those involving in such practices, he said.
He said that complaints were still being raised about the functioning of local self-government institutions. A majority of the complaints were about the negative attitude towards those frequenting the local body offices for various services. He called for attitudinal change too.
CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, and other leaders were present. As many as 450 representatives comprising State and district committee members and area committee secretaries are attending the workshop.
