Vijayan accused Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of making false statements targeting a specific community.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Photo: official facebook page
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday, 29 October, condemned the multiple explosions at a convention centre in Kochi that killed two women and injured 51 others, terming them “extremely unfortunate”.
He also warned of strong action against those who spread rumours to divide society and promote communal hatred.
Praising the local media for covering the explosion and its aftermath honestly and responsibly, the chief minister declared that the government would not tolerate anyone disseminating false information.
Vijayan was addressing a news conference in Delhi regarding the concerted efforts of vested interests to give the explosions at the Jehovah’s Witnesses prayer meeting a jehadi spin.
Dominic Martin, who admitted to carrying out the explosion, told authorities that he was a member of the same cult.
Three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) detonated at the Zamra Convention and Exhibition Centre in Kalamassery, close to Kochi.
The chief minister said a thorough inquiry would uncover all details surrounding the incident, and anybody found to be at fault would not escape punishment.
He claimed that the investigations were being carried out to close the gaps. A special team led by MR Ajith Kumar, ADGP for law and order, was probing the incident.
The chief minister stated that the team comprised 20 efficient officers, and S Sasidharan, the deputy police commissioner of Kochi, too, has been drafted into the team.
A 14-member medical team has been formed to provide treatment to the injured.
The chief minister 52 people required medical help after the blasts, and one of them, a 53-year-old woman from Idukki died while undergoing treatment. Of the 18 people in intensive care units, six were in critical condition.
Vijayan further chastised Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar for his tweet on the subject and questioned the context in which the minister posed the query, which was spiked with communalism’s deadly poison.
Additionally, he questioned why the Union minister still had no faith in the investigating agencies.
Vijayan questioned how, in the absence of proof, the Union minister singled out a particular community.
Here is a Union Minister shamelessly exploiting a tragedy to peddle anti-Muslim hatred. Without any investigation, he connected the attack with Hamas and blamed Muslims for it. Now that the perpetrator’s name turns out to be Dominic Martin, will @Rajeev_GoI apologise? https://t.co/uJXahoIeHx
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) October 29, 2023
May 18, 2024
May 18, 2024
May 17, 2024
May 17, 2024
May 17, 2024
May 17, 2024
