THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOLLAM: AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadhra on Tuesday said the LDF government in the state was no different from the UP government in the manner it handled the Walayar rape cases. She also said some LDF allies are speaking like BJP politicians in UP on "love jihad", referring to the controversial remarks of KC (M) leader Jose K Mani.
"This is fascism. One supreme leader, creating fear amongst the public, silencing of the public voice, PR propaganda and lies are the hallmarks of a fascist government. They cannot tolerate dissent or protest. And nothing makes them more afraid than when people start demanding their rights," she said.
Priyanka completed a whirlwind tour of three districts -- Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram --on Tuesday, during which she attended six public meetings besides taking part in road shows in Kayamkulam and Thiruvananthapuram. She also had darshan at Attukal Bhagavathy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
Speaking at Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram, Priyanka said the LDF government had double standards in cases of violence against women. "It showed concern for women raped in other states but tried to protect those who raped two minor girls in Walayar,” she said.
The state government showed Walayar deaths as suicide, tried to hide evidence, diluted the investigation and the chairman of the child welfare committee represented an accused as a lawyer,” Priyanka said.
What is the point in swearing to The Communist Manifesto if you are carrying out a corporate agenda? What is the point of making promises to people during elections if you cannot fulfil a single word? “This government has been a government of frauds and scams. Everytime a new scam emerges, the chief minister says he has no idea about it. Now I want to ask him, if he has no idea what is happening under his nose, then who is running the government?” she said.
Priyanka said the chief minister doesn't realise that the real gold is the people of the state. “Unfortunately, the LDF government is more interested in foreign gold and in gold smuggling and in giving fishing contracts to multinational companies,” she said, adding that it allowed uncontrolled import of rubber and did nothing for the revival of cashew and coir industries.
Slamming the “politics of violence” of the left front, she said several Youth Congress workers had lost their lives over the years. But the “democratic” government “protected” the killers, she said, referring to the murder of two Youth Congress workers in Periya, Kasaragod.