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Kerala Minister V Sivankutty on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress over the arrest of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil by the Crime Branch in connection with a rape case, alleging that the party's top leadership was shielding him despite serious allegations.
Calling the matter "extremely serious", Sivankutty said the allegations against Mamkootathil were of a nature "very rarely seen in the country". "There is a clear understanding between the top leadership of the Congress and Rahul. Otherwise, why is Congress not insisting on Rahul's resignation? Congress workers are still participating in Rahul's programmes. It is the Congress that is giving him protection," the minister told ANI. Sivankutty alleged that the Congress was allowing Mamkootathil to continue because of fears that he could reveal damaging information if disowned. "To prevent such disclosures, the Congress has adopted a stance of letting Rahul continue at any cost," he claimed, describing Mamkootathil as "the face of the Congress and the Youth Congress". He further alleged that it was only after sustained media scrutiny that the Congress expelled Mamkootathil from the party. "All leaders have both open and secret links with Rahul. If Rahul's mobile phone is examined, that will become clear. That is why he is not ready to hand over the SIM card of his phone," Sivankutty alleged. Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remark that the BJP would come to power in Kerala, Sivankutty dismissed the claim, saying Kerala's political culture was different. "In a democratic system, those who secure more votes become the rulers. Kerala has a different political atmosphere," he said, alleging that in several states the BJP had come to power through defections and by "buying MLAs". Recalling the BJP's performance in the last Assembly election, Sivankutty said, "To rule Kerala, 71 seats are required. Was the BJP assuming that it could buy the remaining MLAs?" He asserted that the people of Kerala do not have a tradition of "selling democracy for money". On the proposed strike by ministers, MLAs and MPs at the Palayam Martyrs' Memorial under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Sivankutty said the protest was against the Centre's alleged denial of funds to Kerala. "The Centre is not providing Kerala with the funds it is legally and constitutionally entitled to receive. As elections approach, the financial squeeze is being tightened further," he said, adding that the strike was aimed at creating public awareness of the issue. (ANI)
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