Cong MP says Vijayan's love for Scheduled Caste is fake

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 28 (IANS) Senior Congress Lok Sabha member Kodikunnil Suresh slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, saying that he is having no concern for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and his claims to be the leader of renaissance is humbug and if he was genuine he should have married his daughter to someone from the SC community.

Suresh made this tongue-in-cheek remark while taking part in a meeting here on Saturday which is the 158th birth anniversary of hugely popular social reformer Ayyankali, who worked for the advancement of deprived and untouchable people in the princely state of Travancore.

Suresh, a seven time Lok Sabha member, took on Vijayan and said if Vijayan was a true champion of the SC community, what he should have done was he should have got her daughter married to some CPI-M leader from that community, who are there in large numbers.

"Ever since the Sabarimala issue surfaced a few years back (opening up of the temple to women of all groups), Vijayan suddenly tried to take up the leadership of the renaissance movement. This is nothing but a fake position that he has taken as he has no love for that community. He now has a member from the SC community as a Minister (K. Radhakrishnan -- Minister of SC, ST and Devasoms) and see which portfolio has he given to him. And moreover there has been someone posted at his office also to oversee his functioning. The love that Vijayan claims to have for the SC is nothing but humbug," said Suresh in his speech.

After the meeting got over, when the media got around him, Suresh reiterated what he said and stood by his remark and what he actually meant was if Vijayan was really serious the renaissance should have started from his family.

Reacting angrily to Suresh's statement was the top youth wing leader of the CPI-M -- A.A. Rahim who said this was an unwarranted remark which will only take the state backwards and it is in no way acceptable.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan when asked about Suresh's remark, said he has no knowledge about it and added the party does not have such a view.

Incidentally Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan after divorcing her first husband had married P.A. Mohammed Riyaz at the official residence of Vijayan, here, last year.

Riyaz, later was given an assembly seat to contest, which he won and eyebrows was raised when he was made the State PWD and Tourism Minister.