Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minisrter Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that he would attend the communal harmony public meet in Mangaluru on February 25 despite RSS threat to block him and disrupt the meeting.
At the Cabinet briefing he chief minister said that he was not aware of the nature of the threat. However, he visiting Mangaluru as decided.
CPM Karnataka state secretary G V Srirama Reddy said that the RSS had instructed all its units to oppose Pinarayi’s visit to Mangaluru. It has also called for a bandh on the same day.
“I have personally apprised chief minister Siddaramaiah of the threat issued by RSS to the chief minister of Kerala. He has assured that security arrangements will be put in place to avoid any untoward incident,” he said.
The CPM leader said that his party would not be cowed down by RSS threats. “We will pay back them in the same coin if they attempt to disrupt our communal harmony meet. Come what may we will counter them with all our might,” he said and added that over 25,000 people are expected to take part in the meeting to be held in Nehru Maidan.
Reddy said the RSS was unleashing false propaganda against CPM in connection with the Kannur political violence. “RSS does not want communal harmony in the society. They are trying to create unnecessary trouble,” he said.
The CPM said the decision of RSS to prevent the chief minister of a neighbouring state from addressing a rally was a challenge to the federal system of the country. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan asked the RSS and BJP leadership to make its stand clear on the issue.
