BJP Kerala president K Surendran has on Tuesday raised serious allegations against state tourism and PWD minister Mohammed Riaz. He accused Mohammed Riaz of having links with religious extremist organisations, including the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

Speaking to media persons in Kochi, Surendran alleged that the CPI-M has made Riaz a minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan Government and party secretariat member to get votes with the support of terrorist forces. He also alleged that there is a process of Muslimization in CPI-M at present whereby people who have worked in extremist organisations such as PFI are joining in the left party.

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Surendran’s allegations came in the wake of Mohamed Riyas’s comments against the Sangh Parivar.  He had said that the Kerala government’s policies ensure the safety of religious minorities and that prompted the Sangh Parivar to attack the state government.

Earlier on Monday, Riaz had asked BJP leaders if they would dare to reject the ideologies of RSS explained in ‘Vicharadhara’( Bunch of Thoughts).

 “Vicharadhara’ portrays missionaries and Christians as one of the major threats to the country. Can the BJP leaders in Kerala and other parts of the country reject the book,” he asked.

Regarding the allegation against the BJP over the ‘Vicharadhara’, Surendran said. “We have only one piece of advice to the CPI-M on the subject of Vicharadhara. It would be better if five or six lakhs of Vicharadhara were bought and distributed to all Christian homes. Congress had made such an effort in Goa. After reading it, the Christians voted for BJP in Goa.”

Responding to the allegations against Mohammed Riaz, Congress leader and former MLA VT Balaram said K Surendran’s charge that Mohammad Riaz has link with PFI though not credible, but is serious.

“Surendran’s allegation is a challenge to the credibility of the state administration itself. No matter how baseless the allegation levelled against the minister in connection with a banned terrorist organization, it naturally assumes its own seriousness,” Balaram said.

He asked as to why the CPI-M members ran away without taking legal action when the BJP leaders were constantly making allegations of terrorism against them.

Earlier, BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan also made allegations of terrorism against LDF MLA KT Jalil. Gopalakrishnan said former minister and MLA KT Jaleel has links with extremist organizations.

Meanwhile, reacting to the criticism against ‘Vicharadhara’(Bunch of Thoughts), Mar Joseph Pamplany, metropolitan archbishop of Tellicherry Archdiocese, Syro-Malabar Church, on Tuesday said people have the maturity to understand what is said in ‘Vicharadhara’.

“There may be many people from several religions and ideologies who see Christians as adversaries. These are all things said in particular situations. The public is matured enough to understand those situations,” Mar Joseph Pamplany said.