Sabarimala backlash: BJP targets CM's caste background

BJP Kerala Vice-President N Sivarajan, who is currently on a hunger strike against the state government over the Sabarimala issue, has made a caste-based remark about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Responding to the incident of two women entering the shrine in the early hours of Wednesday, Sivarajan said that Vijayan should resign. He said that it is "better that he go to climb the coconut tree, " referring to the occupation of many of the OBC caste to which Vijayan belongs.

"If murderer Vijayan tries to destroy Sabarimala, it will retaliate," Sivarajan said.

In October 2018, a woman named Maniyamma was booked for a Facebook video that abused Vijayan along the same lines.

The BJP-leaning 'Janmabhumi' apologised on Dec. 25 after it published a cartoon that abused the CM over his caste. Vijayan was "supposed to be climbing coconut trees" but is currently in the CM's chair, the cartoon had said.

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