Union Minister Suresh Gopi has faced sharp criticism from Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty, following a controversial remark made by Gopi. Sivankutty, on Monday, took to Facebook to condemn Gopi’s comment, in which he referred to those who accused him of manipulating the voters' list as "vanaras" (monkeys).
Sivankutty described the remarks as "insulting, unfortunate, and undemocratic," arguing that such language is unbecoming of a public representative. He emphasised that complaints about electoral rolls are crucial for ensuring a transparent democratic process and that ridiculing those who file them erodes public trust in democracy. Sivankutty urged Gopi to withdraw his comments and issue a public apology, stressing that individuals in positions of power should use decent language and avoid personal insults, regardless of political differences.
Also read: Suresh Gopi brushes off voter list manipulation charges
Gopi's comments were made in response to charges of manipulation of the voters' list from the Congress and Left parties. He said that he would not respond to the charges and that the Election Commission of India would give a befitting reply. The Union Minister then directed those he called "vanaras" to take their complaints to court.
District Congress Committee (DCC) president Joseph Tajet also strongly criticised the "vanara" remark. Tajet said the Congress party’s culture would not permit them to respond with similar language. He accused Gopi of making the remarks to distract from his own faults and divert public attention. Tajet sarcastically suggested that Gopi may have made the comment while looking in a mirror and affirmed that the Congress would not back down from its allegations.
Last week, the Congress accused Gopi of submitting a false declaration to be included in the voters' list for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency during the 2024 general election and has since filed a police complaint against the politician.
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