Stalin’s presence at Ayyappa devotees’ meet will be an insult to Hindus: BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has termed participation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M.K. Stalin in the Ayyappa devotees’ meet “an insult to Hindus.”

Speaking to reporters in Thrissur on Saturday, Mr. Chandrasekhar said the event itself was a farce, as it was being organised under the leadership of the Pinarayi Vijayan government, which had earlier “tried to tarnish the faith of Ayyappa devotees and the traditions of Sabarimala.”

“It is a contradiction that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the DMK, allies in the INDIA bloc, are attending a programme related to Sabarimala. This so-called Ayyappa devotees’ meet is nothing but hypocrisy,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said.

“Both Stalin and his heir apparent Udhayanidhi Stalin have for years openly insulted Hindus and Hindu dharma to appease vote banks. Now, with Assembly elections approaching, they are trying to hoodwink people with this show. But the people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu know this is nothing but an election stunt,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said.

The BJP State president also demanded the immediate resignation of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, following allegations of misconduct. “Corruption, exploitation, and dynasty politics have always been the Congress culture,” he said.

He said Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation from the post of Youth Congress State president was merely an internal party affair of the Congress, but people of Palakkad deserved a clean representative.

“Voters have the right to have an untainted public representative. Having failed in that regard, Mr. Mamkootathil must step down as MLA without delay,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said.