Congress MP K. Sudhakaran’s reference to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s family background in his address at a political meet in Kannur on Tuesday is likely to trigger a fresh debate on the use of indecorous language in political rhetoric in the run-up to the forthcoming Assembly election in the State.
Mr. Sudhakaran’s refrain in the controversial part of his public speech during the reception accorded to the Aishwarya Kerala Yatra led by Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala was that the Chief Minister hailed from a family of toddy tapper. The speech has already drawn sharp reactions on social media which viewed it as a casteist slander. Mr. Sudhakaran said the Chief Minister, who hailed from “the family of a toddy tapper” and had risen to be a leader and “apostle” of the party of the working class will be recorded in history as the first Chief Minister in the State to hire a helicopter for his travel. Workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) should consider whether this is an honour or disgrace for them, he said in his speech.
Mr. Sudhakaran’s controversial speech was delivered amid the controversy over CPI(M) acting State secretary A. Vijayaraghavan’s statement on Congress leaders’ visit to the residence of IUML supremo Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal the other day. The UDF has accused Mr. Vijayaghavan of an attempt to communalise the Congress leaders’ visit.
