Vilification of Taj Mahal shows BJP's intolerance: Pinarayi Vijayan

Inaugurating a 'Jana Jagaran Jatha' organised by the ruling CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF) here, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan flayed the statement of BJP leader Vinay Katiyar that the Taj Mahal was previously a Shiva temple.

"It all started when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath omitted the Taj Mahal from the list of important places to visit in that state.

"It showed that...they cannot tolerate the name Shahjahan, who built the historic and heritage structure," he said, adding, "We have to seriously think as regards which direction our country is headed to."

Attacking the BJP-RSS, the CPI(M) leader alleged that the saffron party had a "clear agenda" behind raking up the issue of Ram Temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and added, "They are attempting to trigger communal tension in the country by moving towards constructing the shrine."

He slammed the BJP-led central government and alleged that the federal principles had been thrown to the wind, in tune with the policy of the RSS, which believed in centralisation of power.

Vijayan accused RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat of "defaming" Kerala with his statement that it had become a place for "Jihadis" under the LDF government.

He also came down on the just-concluded Jana Raksha Yatra of the BJP in Kerala, which was attended by party president Amit Shah among others, and described it as an attempt to create tension in the southern state.

The LDF has organised two 'jana jagaran jatha', one is being led by CPI state secretary Kannam Rajendran from here and another by CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan from Manjeswaram in Kasaragod, to counter the BJP's "communal agenda" and highlight the state government's achievements.

After flagging off the 'jatha' at Manjeswaram, CPI national secretary D Raja, criticising Katiyar's remark on the Taj Mahal, said, "Now they (BJP-RSS) want to demolish the Taj Mahal."

He claimed that the RSS had become very influential at the Centre ever since Narendra Modi became the prime minister.

"The RSS is an organisation with a communal and fascist ideology," Raja said, adding, "Now they want to re-write history and their target is the Taj Mahal."

The 'jatha' led by Rajendran is scheduled to conclude at Ernakulam and the one led by Balakrishnan at Thrissur, after criss-crossing all the 140 Assembly constituencies of the state, on November 3.