We are not slaves like you, Kerala Cong unit chief tells CPI-M leader

Launching a scathing attack on CPI(M) Kerala secretary A. Vijayaraghavan, Congress State president K Sudhakaran said that they are not slaves of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and hence will react sharply whenever needed.

Sudhakaran's remark was in response to Vijayaraghvan criticism of Congress leaders who took on the Chief Minister for "mismanagement" of the flood situation in the state that has claimed 42 lives so far.

Slamming the Congress leaders, Vijayaraghavan said such criticism was uncalled for, specially at a time when the state was passing through tough times, referring to the heavy rain and the subsequent floods last week.

Reacting to Vijayaraghaavan, Sudhakaran said, "We cannot remain mute spectators, when the inefficiency of Vijayan in tackling floods has come to the fore. We are all aware that 2018 floods was a man-made disaster and of the frauds conducted in distribution of relief material. We are not slaves of Vijayan, like you (Vijayaraghavan) and others."


He told Vijayaraghavan that if he has any morality, he should ask Vijayan what the state gained after he spent
crores of rupees on a trip to the Netherlands to study how floods are tackled there.

Vijayan was trolled on social media with critics sharing video of his interaction with the media after returning from the Netherlands where he announced to implement 'room to river' concept, a model in vogue in that country. This was followed with a picture of a flood-ravaged Kerala.


"Vijayan is yet to even fully distribute the Rs 10,000 each as promised to 2018 flood victims. Then came the floods in 2019 and even now, the much-publicised rehabilitation at those places has not happened," said Sudhakaran.

He also questioned the much-hyped Rebuild Kerala project of Vijayan with an outlay of Rs 31,000 crore, soon after the floods and till date, not even Rs 1,000 crore has been utilised which highlights his "inefficiency", he said.

"We will continue to ask questions for the beleaguered people of our state who are suffering due to the callousness of Vijayan, who does not even reach out to the people in their time of suffering. We are always with the people and hence you (Vijayaraghavan), please do not criticise us. You should go and ask Vijayan all this," said Sudhakaran - IANS