Modi visit sparks protests in Kerala
The visit of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi here on Monday sparked protests in Kerala, with the Democratic Youth Front of India and National Democratic Front activists taking out marches against his visit. DYFI activists burned his effigy in...
By TNN |
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The visit of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi here on Monday sparked protests in Kerala, with the Democratic Youth Front of India and National Democratic Front activists taking out marches against his visit. DYFI activists burned his effigy in the state capital.
Mr Modi, who arrived here to address a Hindu Maha Sammelan, stressed the need to eradicate practices like untouchability, and pointed out that his government had taken a step towards promoting inter-caste marriages by offering couples who chose to wed from dalit and adivasi communities Rs 50,000 in an effort to promote unity among various sections of society.
Stating that he was in Kerala as a swayam sevak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Mr Modi said one reason for communal strife in the country was the stand of some sections that theirs was the only right way and all other ways of seeking almighty were wrong. In contrast, the Hindu community acknowledged the different ways of seeking the almighty, he said.
In Tirur, where recent violence between the cadres of the RSS and the NDF had led to the death of one person and communal tension in the region, chief minister V S Achuthanandan visited the residence of the deceased and said the government would deal firmly with communal outfits.
In a related development, Indian Union Muslim League state secretary and union minister of state for external affairs E. Ahmed denied reports that his party had adopted a soft stand towards communal forces.
Reacting to statements that IUML was taking a soft posture towards the National Democratic Front, Mr Ahmed said his party did not need anybody���s certificate for its stand.
Mr Modi, who arrived here to address a Hindu Maha Sammelan, stressed the need to eradicate practices like untouchability, and pointed out that his government had taken a step towards promoting inter-caste marriages by offering couples who chose to wed from dalit and adivasi communities Rs 50,000 in an effort to promote unity among various sections of society.
Stating that he was in Kerala as a swayam sevak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Mr Modi said one reason for communal strife in the country was the stand of some sections that theirs was the only right way and all other ways of seeking almighty were wrong. In contrast, the Hindu community acknowledged the different ways of seeking the almighty, he said.
In Tirur, where recent violence between the cadres of the RSS and the NDF had led to the death of one person and communal tension in the region, chief minister V S Achuthanandan visited the residence of the deceased and said the government would deal firmly with communal outfits.
In a related development, Indian Union Muslim League state secretary and union minister of state for external affairs E. Ahmed denied reports that his party had adopted a soft stand towards communal forces.
Reacting to statements that IUML was taking a soft posture towards the National Democratic Front, Mr Ahmed said his party did not need anybody���s certificate for its stand.
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