People's Democracy

KERALA NEWSLETTER

KPCC Publishes BJP Leader’s Book

N S Sajith

GIVING a clear indication of something like an unannounced mahajot between the Congress and the BJP against the CPI(M) in the coming days, the publications wing of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has published a book written by a BJP leader.  

One may note that Priyadarshini Publication, under the direct supervision of KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, had had no compunction in publishing a book written by P S Sridharan Pillai, BJP National Executive member and its former state president. The book, titled Onchiyam-oru Maranawarrant (Onchiyam: A Death Warrant) was released at a function in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, November 19, 2012.

Apart from Ramesh Chennithala and other state Congress leaders, Professor P J Kurien, deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha, also attended the function. Interestingly, the anti-CPI(M) articles in this book were previously published in BJP’s mouthpiece Janmabhumi.

At the book release function, Ramesh Chennithala said that Priyadarshini Publication had no hesitation in publishing the books written by leaders from other parties, adding that this institution has the policy to encourage writers from other parties. In his foreword to the book, Chennithala praised Pillai as a writer who dares to put forth his ideas.

LEAGUE SLAMS

ANTONY’S SPEECH

A speech, made in context of the BrahMos missiles by defence minister A K Antony, has come under severe attack from Muslim League, the second biggest constituent of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF). It is known that in his said speech Antony had praised the erstwhile V S Achuthanandan government of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and its industries minister, Elamaram Kareem, for their innovative ideas for the state’s industrialisation.

An edit page article recently appearing in Chandrika, the mouthpiece of Indian Union Muslim League, has criticised Antony as a person who roused the communal sentiments during his tenure as chief minister. This article appeared soon after a speech made by A K Antony in a function of the Hindstan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Kasargode.  

The article, “Before Garlanding the LDF Government,” was written by Najeeb Kanthapuram, an Editorial Board member and Muslim Youth League leader. It said Antony, who has been infamous for hurling lethal bombs, had humiliated the people of Kerala. According to the article, Antony garlanded V S Achuthanandan and Elamaram Kareem soon after he had received huge applauses for criticising Achuthanandan. The article further said though Antony has been in the forefront of the fight against LDF, his honesty is questionable. In 2004, targeting the minorities, Antony had said that they are illegally snatching many rights and using pressure tactics --- a statement which had created distrust and scepticism between the communities. The recent statement of Antony is also highly dubious, the article opined.

ANTONY HITS OUT AT UDF

ON INDUSTRIALISATION  

Hitting the UDF government hard, union defence minister A K Antony recently said that during the last one and a half years he has lost the courage to bring the Defence Ministry’s industrial units to Kerala. “About bringing my ministry’s industries to this state, can I believe anyone? I had full confidence in allotting the ministry’s units to the state during the tenure of the LDF government. In the last one and a half years, no enquiries have been made about my projects,” he said. Antony also found time to praise the erstwhile VS government and its industries minister, Elamaram Kareem, for creating a viable atmosphere for industries in Kerala.

Antony made this comment in the presence of Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy, union minister of state for human resources development Shashi Tharoor, industries minister P K Kunjalikkutty, health minister V S Shivakumar and former industries minster Elamaram Kareem, at a programme in the BrahMos Missile unit at Chakka, in Thiruvananthapuram. 

Antonym also said, “Now there are stumbling blocks for industrialisation and this situation should be changed. Why should I bother as no one is here to argue for me? Not a single project allotted for the last one and a half years! The atmosphere is not viable today. I do not know who to blame. I am passing over the requests made by the chief minister and industries minister. If I were a linguist I could have used my entire lexicon to praise the VS government and Elamaram Kareem.” 

Antony recalled that when he brought the BrahMos unit to Kerala during 2006-2011, many newspapers had criticised him through editorials for being lenient to his state. At that time there was only one BrahMos unit --- in Hyderabad. Kerala had had to wait for 60 long years to get an industrial unit under the Defence Ministry. He then added that it was the LDF government and Elamaram Kareem who had extended support to him in this endeavour.