Thiruvananthapuram, 08 June (H.S.):

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday launched a fresh attack on Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, accusing him of glorifying fascist ideology and bringing disrepute to democratic values through his recent remarks linking Telangana’s anti-encroachment drive to Adolf Hitler.

In a strongly worded Facebook post, Pinarayi said Revanth Reddy’s statement was “shocking” and amounted to an insult to democratic society. He alleged that it was deeply embarrassing for the Congress party to have a Chief Minister who openly appeared to admire a figure widely regarded as one of history’s most notorious fascist dictators.

The controversy stems from Revanth Reddy’s comments regarding the name of the Telangana government’s anti-encroachment task force, which he reportedly linked to inspiration drawn from Adolf Hitler. Reacting sharply, Pinarayi said such a comparison could not be dismissed as a mere slip of the tongue.

The Kerala Chief Minister argued that while “Hydra” may have existed in popular culture and mythology, attempting to give such imagery a concrete form within a democratic system reflected a troubling political mindset. He said the remarks exposed what he described as the Congress party’s “real political character,” drawing parallels with the Emergency period, which he accused the party of using to suppress democratic rights in India.

Pinarayi further questioned what kind of democratic model was being followed if a government claimed inspiration from an organisation associated with Hitler’s regime. He contended that such references were incompatible with democratic governance and public accountability.

Escalating his criticism, the Kerala Chief Minister also linked Revanth Reddy’s remarks to his earlier association with organisations aligned with the Sangh Parivar. According to Pinarayi, that political background may have influenced the Telangana leader’s outlook and public statements.

He further alleged that Revanth Reddy had been able to continue advancing such views within the Congress and claimed that the party itself was willing to accommodate these positions.

The latest exchange adds to the growing war of words between leaders of the Left and the Congress, highlighting continuing political tensions between the two parties despite their common opposition to the BJP at the national level.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman