Kannur (Kerala) [India], September 27 (ANI): Kerala's Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan on Friday criticised the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), saying the party had earlier appeased minorities before the last parliamentary elections but has now turned to majority appeasement.

'The party (CPI (M)) had for years appeased minorities before the last parliamentary elections and has now shifted to majority appeasement, thus lacking any genuine commitment to secularism,' Satheesan told reporters in Kannur.

'The UDF's position on these issues remains unchanged for the parliamentary elections, after them and in times ahead. Kerala was fundamentally secular, and both the older and the younger generations would rally behind constitutional values against divisive politics,' he added.

Satheesan said the United Democratic Front (UDF) respected the freedom of the Nair Service Society (NSS) to make independent decisions and praised its leadership for 'resisting communal infiltration.' At the same time, he stressed that the UDF would 'oppose both majority and minority communalism' without hesitation.

His comments came after NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair appeared to praise the CPI(M)-led LDF government for its handling of the first Global Ayyappa Sangamam, held at Pampa, the gateway to Sabarimala, on September 20. UDF leaders had boycotted the event.

He said that the UDF had been committed to Kerala's secular legacy across generations.

'The UDF respected their freedom to make independent decisions and acknowledged the NSS's (Nair Service Society) leadership for resisting communal infiltration. The UDF would oppose both majority and minority communalism without hesitation. Whoever speaks communally, we will oppose without looking at their faces. We will not sell our secular positions for temporary profit. UDF had been committed to Kerala's secular legacy across generations,' he said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Friday criticised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's stance on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Kannur, Venugopal mentioned that everyone opposes SIR, except Chief Minister Vijayan, who continues to support it.

'Everyone opposes SIR, except the Chief Minister of Kerala, who continues to support it,' he said. (ANI)