Pinarayi playing with fire, giving shelter to jihadi elements: RSS

The RSS on Monday hit back at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his remark on Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and said the CPM veteran is playing with fire.

RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha said Bhagwat, through his suggestion, has enlightened the world regarding the activity of the Kerala government.

"The Kerala Chief Minister is playing with fire. The CPM-led government has been patronising, encouraging and giving shelter to jihadi elements. Lately, their alliance to the PFA is an example of testimony that they support jihadi elements. The common factor between the two is the petrodollar, which is infiltrated in CMP," he said.

Sinha said that Pinarayi is trying to divert Bhagwat's allegations about the CPM to the people of Kerala. The RSS chief said there is the difference between Kerala and its CPM's unit. "The people of Kerala are patriotic and have given ample contribution to the freedom struggle," he said.

Pinarayi on Sunday tore into Bhagwat for his allegation on the state government for supporting anti-national elements and said Keralites don't need advice on nationalism from the RSS. In a Facebook post, the Kerala CM said Bhagwat's allegations on the state government are challenging for the Keralites.

"There is a memorable partnership of Kerala and Keralites in the freedom movement. The RSS, having a tradition of turning back from the freedom struggle and embracing the British empire, does not need to teach Keralites what is patriotism," the post read.

Pinarayi's comment came after Bhagwat on Saturday said that the governments of West Bengal and Kerala are "on the side of jihadi elements that are perpetrating the violence" there.

"Jihadi elements are doing violence in Kerala and Bengal, and while people are resisting, the state governments are supporting these anti-national forces by not fulfilling their duty; they (state governments) are on their side," Bhagwat had said in an address on the anniversary of the RSS's formation.

(With agency inputs)

• Pinarayi Vijayan
• RSS
• Mohan Bhagwat