"Communal harmony, respecting sentiments must work both ways": Keralam BJP Chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams CM Satheesan over Fort Kochi cafe row

Addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Chandrasekhar addressed the Chief Minister's recent statements cautioning against communal provocation following a controversial YouTuber's video on the Fort Kochi cafe.

While acknowledging the principle of harmony, Chandrasekhar questioned the double standards in political discourse."The first point he has mentioned is that there has to be communal harmony in Keralam in the context of a restaurant in Kochi called Kashi, named after a holy Hindu city. That restaurant serves beef, which it is certainly within its rights to do so, and also showcases Muhammad Ali Jinnah...While I respect the CM's concerns for communal harmony, I draw his attention to the fact that communal harmony and respecting the sentiments of faiths and religions must work both ways," he said.

Chandrasekhar's remarks come in the wake of a political row surrounding a viral social media video targeting the Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi, which serves beef and features a historic joint artwork depicting Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

"This sentiment and respect cannot be decided by your political expediency and your political opportunism. I accept that he is right in principle, but he is certainly wrong in the way he practises communal harmony because I would propose to him, I would suggest to him: What would happen if today a Hindu or any Malayali sets up a restaurant named after a Muslim holy city and proceeds to serve pork in that restaurant? Just think about this," he added.

Turning to comments made regarding political alliances and minority organisations like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Jamaat-e-Islami, Chandrasekhar slammed both the UDF and Congress for framing state politics around identity polarisation as Kerala approaches its 70th anniversary of statehood on November 1.

Rejecting the narrative presented to voters, Chandrasekhar stated,"The second point I want to point out is a statement he has made in Delhi regarding the growth of the Indian Union Muslim League and the Jamaat-e-Islami. This is an extremely dangerous proposition that he is putting forth in front of every Malayali...On the 1st November, we are completing 70 years as a state. The Congress CM, and only Congress and CPM have governed the state for 70 years, is today suggesting to every Malayali that we have no option other than either to support IUML or to get extremism.I reject these options... Malayalis deserve better than the last 70 years of Congress and CPM's divide-and-rule politics."(ANI)