Between protection & lamentation

On Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah did not participate in the party’s march in the hometown of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to highlight alleged political violence of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in the state. Shah had to attend a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP state President Kummanam Rajasekharan told reporters that Shah would be unable to attend the Kerala phase of the Janaraksha Yatra (people’s protection march). Shah had launched the 15-day yatra on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led the yatra. CPI-M Lok Sabha member M B Rajesh tweeted that “Amit Shah is a quick learner. Within 24 hours he realised the futility of his yatra and decided not to waste his time”. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also took a dig at Shah for skipping Thursday’s march, saying the Janaraksha Yatra had become a “Vilapa Yatra” (procession to lament).