Pinarayi Vijayan slams Amit Shah for Sabarimala comment: ‘Who are you trying to threaten, the Supreme Court?’

In his speech in Kannur on Saturday, Shah criticised police action against those who protested against implementing the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala shrine.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

A DAY after Amit Shah in his first public reaction to the Sabrimala verdict said that courts should not pronounce verdicts that cannot be implemented, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday hit back, saying that the BJP president’s remarks come against the backdrop of the Babri Masjid case, which is likely to come up in the Supreme Court on Monday.

“Who are you trying to threaten, the Supreme Court? Your intention behind threatening Supreme Court was evident. The Supreme Court is going to hear the Babri Masjid case. You want the Supreme Court to pronounce its verdict according to your direction,” Vijayan said in his address at a public meeting in Palakkad on Sunday evening.

“Are these the words that should come from the chief of the country’s ruling party? Can a leader of the ruling party adopt such an undemocratic stand,” the chief minister said.

In his speech in Kannur on Saturday, Shah criticised police action against those who protested against implementing the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala shrine. He also said that the LDF government in Kerala will be pulled down.

Read | Opposition slams Amit Shah, wants Supreme Court to take cognizance

Referring to Shah’s warning, the chief minister said, “BJP workers’ godfather Amit Shah made a declaration in Kerala that the state government would be pulled down. That body (Shah’s) does not seem to have that much strength to pull down the government. That body is not enough (to unseat the government)… Amit Shah, such things you can practice in Gujarat.”

“How long have you been targeting Kerala. At one point in time, you took out a jatha (journey) claiming to win over Kerala. Why were you forced to go back a day after launching that journey. Did anyone of us protest against that (journey). But, people did not mind, that was the result,” he said. “You should remember that you don’t have place in this soil. You should remember that Kerala is the land of several social reformers, including Narayana Guru, Chattambi Swami and Ayyankali.”

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Vijayan said the government was committed to implement the Supreme Court order on the Sabarimala issue.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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