Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 30 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) for boycotting the Loka Kerala Sabha, saying that the opposition should have used the forum to "offer constructive suggestions and point out shortcomings."
The Chief Minister made the remarks on Thursday while inaugurating the fifth edition of the Loka Kerala Sabha in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Loka Kerala Sabha is an initiative of the Kerala government aimed at bringing together the global Malayali diaspora on a single comprehensive platform to discuss issues faced by non-resident Keralites and explore ways to strengthen their engagement with the state.
Describing the Sabha as "the parliament of the expatriate community," Vijayan said the opposition's decision to boycott the event was unfortunate and irresponsible.
"The opposition's decision to boycott the Loka Kerala Sabha should be viewed with regret. This is the parliament of the expatriate community and one of the most important platforms for them. Everyone should be willing to stand with it. The opposition's stance is like small children sulking and refusing food. What is the meaning of all this? After all, they are not children. This is extremely unfortunate. In such forums, the opposition could participate, offer constructive suggestions, and point out shortcomings," he stated.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister asserted that Kerala has remained free from communal tensions and riots over the past decade, attributing the situation to the state government's firm stance and strict action against communal forces.
"There were communal tensions and communal riots in the state earlier. For the past ten years, no such incidents have taken place in Kerala. This is not because communal forces do not exist here. In fact, they themselves claim that Kerala is one of their strongest bases. However, they are unable to raise their heads. If they do, there will be strict action. No one will be given special protection," the CM stated.
The Chief Minister further highlighted the reforms in the state's travel facilities, adding that the government is relentlessly working on some of the important projects, including the reduction of travel time in long-distance journeys
"Major changes have taken place in travel facilities in Kerala. The travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod needs to be reduced. Long-distance journeys should be possible within a shorter time. It should be possible to reach Kasaragod from Thiruvananthapuram in four hours," the CM said.
"These are not dreams, but goals that can be made a reality. The government believed there would be no obstacles to implementing these plans. However, when the project moved forward, hurdles emerged. Approval from the Railways was not obtained. Even so, the government has continued its efforts relentlessly," he added.
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