Pathanamthitta/Kottayam: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday raised the pitch for the UDF’s campaign for the Kerala polls, targeting the CPI(M) by singing a line from a popular parody song about its leaders’ reported role in the gold theft at the Sabarimala temple, while also questioning PM Modi’s alleged silence on the issue.
Addressing corner meetings for the Congress-led alliance’s candidates in various constituencies in the Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that the UDF was facing a “combination” of the CPI(M) and the BJP in the April 9 Assembly elections.
As he sang the line “swarnam kattathu aarappa” (“who stole the gold of Ayyappa”) from a song used by the UDF to influence voters against the Left during the local body polls a few months ago, at a corner meeting in Pathanamthitta – the district where the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa is located – the crowd cheered Rahul.
In his election meetings in Kottayam district, which is known as the land of latex and has a significant Christian population, Rahul raised the issue of falling rubber prices and the proposed FCRA amendments, against which the Church has come out openly against the BJP-led Centre.
Attacking the Left and the BJP over the Sabarimala gold loss issue, the Congress leader said in Adoor that the prime minister, wherever he goes, talks about temples and religion.
“But somehow, he has forgotten about what happened in Sabarimala, during his visit to Palakkad,” he said, referring to the PM’s speech at the massive poll rally there on Sunday for the NDA candidates.
“He has forgotten that the Left Front leaders stole from the Ayyappa temple. He has forgotten that the Left Front leaders took the gold of the Ayyappa temple and replaced it with brass,” he alleged. Rahul claimed that the prime minister remained silent to avoid damaging the LDF.
“It shows two things. The first is that the BJP and LDF are working together. The second is that Narendra Modi does not care about religion, Hinduism or temples,” he said.
“If it brings votes, he will speak about temples. If he wants to protect the interests of the LDF, he will not speak about temples,” he added.
He said that a UDF government would ensure that those responsible for alleged irregularities related to the temple are punished.
“We are fighting an election against the LDF, which is fully supported by the BJP,” he said.
Many years ago, a famous economist said that there is a hidden hand in the market, and he was making a point about economics. “But here in the Kerala elections, there is a hidden hand of the BJP,” he said.
