Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday hit back at Dr Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, the metropolitan of Niranam Diocese of Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church, stating that there were "idiots even among priests."
He was responding to a Facebook post by the priest, in which the latter said that the government cannot always rely on floods and pandemics for political rescue.
"I have seen a priest write that it was the Kerala floods that secured the CPM-led LDF government a second term in office," said Vijayan. He added that some people seem to wish for another flood in Kerala.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the event where he released the progress card of the state government's achievements over the past year. He emphasised that his administration has fulfilled almost all of the 600 promises made to the people during their tenure.
In the Facebook post, Mor Coorilos stated that if the Left-wing in Kerala does not learn from the present public discontent, it will face a situation similar to West Bengal and Tripura. He attributed the Left's poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections to strong anti-government sentiment in Kerala, which he claimed the CPM denies but is a reality.
According to the priest, the failures of the Vijayan government stem from several factors: Failed economic policies, lack of discipline, extravagance, media persecution, intolerance of criticism, repressive police policies, SFI's violent politics, attempts to appease various caste-religious organisations, right-wing policies, corruption including in corporate banks, and the abolition of pensions, among others.
He also criticised Vijayan and his administration for targeting Rahul Gandhi, who he said fought bravely against fascism, more than his fight against the BJP. "Compared to the first Vijayan government, the decline in standards in the second term is a major reason for its failure. The performance of most ministers is pathetic. If arrogance and extravagance continue, there will be bigger setbacks."
Mar Coorilos warned that the government cannot always rely on floods and pandemics for political rescue. "The issues run deep and require deeper treatment. The Left should remain true to its values. Turning right with a left-turn signal will lead to accidents and prevent reaching the intended destination," he added.
