Thiruvananthapuram: A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan categorically denied allegations of a CPI(M)-RSS nexus, the Congress on Wednesday urged him to address the serious allegations against his close aides, IPS officer ADGP M R Ajith Kumar and political secretary P Sasi, rather than lecturing the opposition.
Coming down heavily on the chief minister, the grand-old party said the people of the state, who know history, would dismiss with contempt Vijayan's claim that it was the Marxist party that had opposed the RSS in Kerala, and the Congress had no role in it.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, asked seven questions to Vijayan and accused the Left veteran of playing the hide and seek game without giving a clear reply.
"Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M)'s connection with the RSS is an open secret," he alleged.
The LoP asked whether veteran Left leader E P Jayarajan was removed as LDF convenor because of his meeting with BJP's Prakash Javadekar. If so, shouldn't CM Vijayan be fired first, given his public admission of meeting Javadekar multiple times?" he asked.
Satheesan said what message the government is giving to the general public by protecting the ADGP, who regularly visits RSS leaders and holds talks.
The Congress leader sought to know from the CM whether the grave allegations raised against the ADGP, and his political secretary were true or not.
He also asked to make public the details of the meeting between the IPS officer and the RSS leaders and whoever else was present there on the occasion.
Satheesan accused Vijayan of winning the Assembly election in the year 1977 with the support of the RSS.
"Instead of answering serious allegations levelled against the political secretary and the ADGP, the CM took a study class by distorting history. The opposition's questions are very clear," he charged.
Rubbishing Vijayan's charges, Satheesan also justified his participation in a programme organised by Bharateeya Vichara Kendram in 2013, saying that not just him but CPI(M) veteran and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had also attended a similar function organised by the outfit.
"It is the Congress that opposes the BJP and the RSS in the country. What kind of anti-fascist struggle is the Kerala CM talking about without the Congress? Pinarayi Vijayan's study class is not needed for the Congress to fight the Sangh Parivar," he added.
Vijayan on Tuesday rubbished the Congress's allegations that the ruling CPI(M) and the Left government led by it had a nexus with the RSS, saying such charges are being rejected with the contempt they deserve.
While addressing a programme organised by the CPI(M) in nearby Kovalam, Vijayan also said that no one needs to entertain the false hope that the LDF government could be maligned by flagging unfounded allegations of links with the RSS.
The chief minister's statement comes amidst a mounting attack by the Congress against him over a senior IPS officer's meeting with RSS leaders, with the grand old party alleging that it had taken place with his knowledge.
Vijayan alleged that it was the top Congress leaders and their governments who had helped the RSS grow in the country and the state on various occasions.