Congress attacks Kerala Guv over visit to RSS chief

Kochi: The Congress on Wednesday attacked Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for paying a personal visit to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwant when the latter was in the southern state, saying that the former's Constitutional office has become subordinate to that of the Prime Minister and Home Minister.

AICC general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also said that such a thing, where a Governor of a state goes and calls on the head of an organisation, has never happened before.

Moreover, RSS is an organisation which did not fly the Indian national flag for decades after independence, Ramesh alleged while speaking to the media during the break between the first and second leg of the day's yatra.

On the ongoing tussle between Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Ramesh claimed it was a "manufactured fight" aimed at diverting the attention from the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is receiving a huge public response.

The Governor and the Kerala CPI(M) were 'two sides of the same coin", he alleged.

"The BJP at the national level and the CPI(M) in Kerala are nervous, rattled and worried by the public response to the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"The fighting between the Governor and Kerala CM is a manufactured fight aimed at creating news to divert attention from the yatra," he claimed.

The objective of the CPI(M) here is to strengthen the BJP and weaken the Congress, just like Mamta Bannerjee in West Bengal where because of her, the saffron party was gaining strength, he alleged.

Ramesh further said that the office of Governor is a Constitutional post, but has been reduced to being a subordinate of the Prime Minister and Home Minister.

"It has never happened that a Governor of a state goes and calls upon an organisation or its head," he said referring to Khan's visit to the RSS chief at the place where the latter was staying in Thrissur.

Regarding the issue of people, including senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, leaving the party, Ramesh reiterated what he said last week that for every person leaving the party there are 20 more -- who are experienced, more committed and dedicated to Congress ideology -- ready to take up responsibilities.

He said that those like Azad "betray" the party for "personal ambition" and others, like the Assam CM and the eight Goa MLAs, want to go through the BJP washing machine to avoid probes by central agencies.

"So I am not worried about those leaving Congress. As far as I am concerned they were migrant labour and their leaving only strengthens the party. It is not a regular exodus. They are just some disgruntled elements," he said.

Ramesh said that during the break between the two legs of the day's yatra, Gandhi would be interacting with representatives of the IT industry and businesses.

On September 22, Thursday, Gandhi will be addressing the press on the yatra at the Adlux International Convention Centre at Angamaly here, party sources said.

On Thursday, he is also expected to interact with representatives of public sector companies, banks, trade unions, etc as "Modi is selling public sector enterprises to his friends", Ramesh said.

The yatra commenced in the morning from Madavana near here after Gandhi, also the MP from Wayanad, paid floral tributes to social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.