Former Defence Minister AK Antony accuses Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala govt of 'flourishing communalism'

Kochi (Kerala) [India], May 27 (ANI): Former Defence Minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony on Friday alleged that communalism has flourished in Kerala under the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front Government under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Congress leader also hit out at the Chief Minister accusing him of committing a "criminal offence" by campaigning in Thrikkakara amid inflation for the upcoming by-poll on May 31.
"Communalism flourished under this government. In Kerala, the government is fostering communalism," he said.
"The entire Kerala cabinet is in Thrikkakara for the by-poll campaign. People are suffering from inflation. Yet the Chief Minister and the ministers are in Thrikkakara. The people are struggling. If they had some commitment towards the people, the ministers would have taken steps from Thiruvananthapuram to combat inflation. It is a criminal offence to stay in Thrikkakara without doing so," Antony said.
Further calling Vijayan's term "misrule", the Congress leader alleged that CPIM has ruled in a "dictatorial manner".
"The rule of the last one year has been misrule. The CPIM has forgotten the people and ruled in an anti-people and dictatorial manner. Even with the increase in votes in the Thrikkakara bypoll, there will be a monarchy for the next four years. It will be a government of arrogance, violence and fanaticism. Even if there is an increase of 10 votes in Thrikkakara, the next four years will be a period of repression," he alleged. (ANI)