Thiruvananthapuram: BJP national executive committee member P K Krishnadas on Monday said the party would strongly resist alleged attempts by religious organisations to threaten the chief minister and influence the state administration.He was reacting to an article headlined ‘The chief minister should speak with decorum’ in the mouthpiece of the E K faction of Samastha Kerala Jam-iyyathul Ulama, a Muslim religious body. Krishnadas alleged that the article amounted to intimidation rather than criticism.“BJP has serious political differences with the chief minister and Congress. But religious organisations cannot be allowed to threaten the head of a democratically elected govt. BJP will oppose such politics tooth and nail,” he said.Krishnadas alleged that Muslim League was using Samastha to pressure the CM and wrest administrative control from elected representatives. Such a trend posed a threat to democracy, secularism and social harmony, he said.He claimed the development, coming after a controversial statement by the Kanthapuram faction, could not be viewed as an isolated incident. It indicated growing attempts by religious organisations to interfere in the state’s administration and politics, he said.Krishnadas also cited IUML MLA P K Firoz’s demand for the withdrawal of police cases against YouTuber Abdul Basith. He alleged that pressure was being exerted on both the CM and home minister, raising questions about who controlled the administration.He accused Congress of remaining silent for fear of antagonising religious organisations. Referring to AICC general secretary K C Venugopal’s statement that the party would clarify its position later, Krishnadas alleged that Congress was displaying double standards.“The administration should be controlled by a democratically elected govt, not by religious fundamentalist organisations. This does not mean BJP supports the chief minister. We are opposing the politics of intimidation,” he said.Krishnadas urged Congress workers and UDF voters to examine the coalition leadership’s response to pressure from religious groups. BJP would not allow Kerala to become “a graveyard of fundamentalist politics”, he added.
