Pinarayi Vijayan slams BJP over Jana Raksha Yatra in Kerala

Making a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS, Vijayan said: "Nobody should think that they can intimidate us. If they think that they can do something here with old RSS faces in the centre and other states, they are wrong."

Calling the yatra, which was launched by BJP president Amit Shah, to be unsuccessful, the chief minister said the saffron party is trying to destroy the secularism in Kerala with the power of the central government.

"Kerala has no lessons of peace to learn from you people who consider Nathuram Godse as your god. If you are trying to threaten us, keep in mind that we always dare to take up such challenges," the CM added.

Meanwhile, Shah on Thursday skipped the second leg of the  party's padayatra in Kerala to make himself available for a meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi.

BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan told reporters that Shah would be unable to attend the 'Jana Raksha Yatra'  owing to a meeting he has to attend with PM Modi at the national capital.

The march, being organised in protest against "red and jihadi terrorism"  would pass from Mambaram to Thalassery in Kannaur district.

On Wednesday,  Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, had led the yatra and accused the left party of promoting "jihadi terrorism."

While walking in the roadshow, Adityanath told media: "The killings in Kerala prove the state government's indulgence in the hate crime. The government has created a jihadi atmosphere in the state."

The fifteen-day Yatra has created a political battle in Kerala with the BJP and the ruling CPI(M) engaging in verbal exchanges.

Reacting strongly to the BJP's yatra, the CPI(M) has put up a tweet to say: "Those who don’t have time to check on the law and order situation in BJP ruled states are trying their best destabilise #Kerala."

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat also reportedly said: "Amit Shah is deliberately inciting violence against #CPIM leaders & its workers."

The Yatra, which was launched by BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday, is mainly to protest against the killings of BJP and RSS workers in the state.

In one of the recent incidents, in August, an RSS worker was hacked to death by a group of assailants. While police say that there was personal enmity, the BJP alleged the hand of the CPI(M), the reports said.

The family of Rajesh, the slain RSS activist,  has blamed the ruling CPI(M) for his death.

The BJP has been has been making a hard campaign in Kerala to give a jolt to the communist government.