‘Deeply malicious, reflects Sangh Parivar’s hate campaign against Kerala’, Pinarayi Vijayan slams Nitesh Rane over ‘Mini Pakistan’ row

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed Maharashtra Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane for his ‘mini Pakistan’ comment against the state and said it reflects Sangh Parivar’s hate campaign against Kerala.

In a post on X, Vijayan said the Maharashtra minister’s comments were condemnable. “The derogatory remark by Maharashtra Fisheries and Ports Minister @NiteshNRane, labelling Kerala as ‘mini-Pakistan’, is deeply malicious & utterly condemnable. Such rhetoric reflects the hate campaigns orchestrated by the Sangh Parivar against Kerala, a bastion of secularism & communal harmony,” the CPI(M) leader said.

Strongly denouncing the comments, Vijayan said secular forces should unite against such hate campaigns. “We strongly denounce this vile attack on Kerala, & call upon all democratic & secular forces to unite against Sangh Parivar’s hateful propaganda,” the Kerala chief minister urged.

Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane kicked up a row on Monday by labelling Kerala “mini-Pakistan”. Rane said Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi were elected as members of Parliament from Kerala because terrorists voted for them. "Kerala is mini Pakistan,  that is why Rahul Gandhi and his sister were elected from there. All terrorists vote for them. This is the truth, you can ask. They have become MPs after taking terrorists with them,"  Rane said.

However, Rane later clarified that he was comparing the situation in southern state with Pakistan. “The way Hindus are treated in Pakistan...if such situations happen in our very own country, we must take action against that. That is what I was trying to say in my speech," he said.