The communist party in Kerala has refused to give its seal of approval to Minister V N Vasavan's proclamation that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was a blessing from God.

M V Govindan, state secretary of CPM, the party both Pinarayi and Vasavan belong to, laughed at a media query seeking his response. "The communist party does not worship individuals," Govindan said.

Vasavan made the comment at a venue of the Nava Kerala Sadas, the LDF government's outreach programme. CM Pinarayi was in attendance when Vasavan said: "Who dares to touch Pinarayi Vijayan the chief minister, who is a blessing for Kerala from the God."

"Not (V D) Satheesan, not (K) Sudhakaran, none of those lot will be allowed to come near him by the people of Kerala, who will set a protective shield around him," Vasavan said. The Youth Congress and Congress' students' wing KSU have been protesting the alleged assaults from the cadre of DYFI, the CPM's youth wing, for protesting against the CM and the Nava Kerala Sadas.

Later, the Minister for Cooperation clarified that he was only quoting the late Philipose Mar Chrysostom, the Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church.

Minister V N Vasavan addresses media at the LDF’s election committee office in Pambady. Photo: Manorama
V N Vasavan. File photo: Manorama

"Chrysostom thirumeni, who was a guiding light to Kerala's cultural sphere, had said during the floods that he would have been washed away, but Pinarayi Vijayan saved him. It was he who said Pinarayi Vijayan was God's blessing to Kerala," Vasavan explained.

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Govindan, who isn't part of the Nava Kerala Sadas' touring cabinet, had been asked about Vasavan's comment at a CPM press conference in Kannur.

CPM state secretary M V Govindan. File photo: Manorama
CPM state secretary M V Govindan. File photo: Manorama

Govindan said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once surprised one and all by declaring he was going to build a temple. "But Nehru is an atheist, how can he build a temple, people wondered. Then Nehru said the temple he was going to build was a Public Sector Undertaking. So only he (Vasavan) can explain what he meant. You need to ask him," Govindan added.

Elevating Pinarayi beyond that status of a comrade during the 2021 Assembly Election campaign had sparked a debate in the CPM. With posters and hoardings declaring Pinarayi as 'captain' appearing, CPM leader P Jayarajan had said "Communists don't worship individuals," before adding that in the party, there were no captains, just comrades.

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