Kochi, March 24 Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan, on Tuesday criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his party leaders over their recent remarks against former Left leader G Sudhakaran and actor Ramesh Pisharody.
Satheesan said that a "cultural Haritha Karma Sena" (Cleanliness Task Force) would need to be created to address the inappropriate language being used by the CM and the CPI(M).
The opposition leader also stated that it was not appropriate for the Left government to spend crores on advertising itself and the CM at the expense of taxpayer money.
Speaking to reporters in Perumbavoor, Satheesan said that the CM's response to a party worker who wanted to ask a question would damage the image of all political leaders in the public's eyes.
On Monday, Vijayan had said, "go and ask at home" when a CPI(M) worker, Das P George, attempted to ask him a question while he was speaking at a public event in Konni, Pathanamthitta district.
Criticising Vijayan's response, Satheesan said that Vijayan was like All India Radio – "you just have to listen and cannot ask any questions".
He said that people would come out on the streets with questions to the CM, and "he will be forced to answer them".
Satheesan also referred to Vijayan's remark about Sudhakaran ("chettatharam" - cheapness) and former state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac's term ("komali" - joker) used against Pisharody, and said that the CPI(M) in Kerala was setting a bad example.
Sudhakaran is contesting from the Ambalapuzha assembly seat with support from the UDF, and Pisharody is the Congress candidate from the Palakkad constituency in the upcoming April 9 elections.
Satheesan said that just like the "Haritha Karma Sena", which ensures cleanliness in the state, a "cultural Haritha Karma Sena" would be needed to address the inappropriate language being used by the CM and various CPI(M) leaders.
He said that Malayalam is such a beautiful language, but the CM and CPI(M) are using such inappropriate language.
Regarding Vijayan's remark, earlier in the day at a press conference in Idukki, that the Congress and the opposition leader stood with Rahul Mamkootathil, an accused in three sexual assault cases, Satheesan said that Vijayan was protecting those involved in such matters.
He referred to the alleged lack of action against LDF MLA M Mukesh and Malayalam film director PT Kunju Muhammed following sexual assault complaints against them.
"In contrast, the Congress and I, as the opposition leader, took strong action against those in the party facing similar allegations. So, it is us who stood with the women, not the CM," Satheesan contended.
When reporters pointed out that over Rs 11 lakh was spent on the special interview of the CM by Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, the LoP claimed that "the government treasury was being used to run political campaigns".
"They are carrying out political campaigns and advertisements at the cost of taxpayers' money. No past government in Kerala has ever done it," he contended.
Satheesan said that he did not criticise the interview and believed that the CM had the right to hold discussions with the superstar.
"But, not at taxpayers' expense. It was wrong to spend the people's money on that. I request the CM to deposit that money back in the treasury," he said.