P Rajeev, former Ernakulam District Secretary of CPI(M) and the editor-in-chief of Malayalam daily and party’s mouthpiece Deshabhimani, has said the newspaper’s attack on Congress President Rahul Gandhi on his candidature in Wayanad constituency was inappropriate. Rajeev, who is also the candidate of Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Ernakulam constituency, admitted to TNM that personal remarks against Rahul Gandhi should have been avoided.
The newspaper, in one of its editorial pieces, had called Rahul Gandhi’s candidature in Wayanad as ‘pappu strike’ . It was published just a day after Rahul Gandhi declared his candidature in Wayanad.
Rajeev said that even if the opinion of a person was to be condemned, it does not mean every action and stand of that person should be detested.
“We have differences with Rahul Gandhi on his opinion and approach, but that is against his stand on certain issues and not against him as a person. Therefore, using that particular terminology against Rahul Gandhi was inappropriate,” Rajeev told TNM.
LDF candidate P Rajeev tells TNM that Deshabhimani using the 'Pappu strike' terminology against Rahul Gandhi was inappropriate. Rajeev is the editor of the paper, and says the fight is against ideology, not a person. pic.twitter.com/2Sj3HctXGk
— Neethu Joseph (@neethujoseph_15) April 10, 2019
Rajeev also said that though he is the editor-in-chief of Deshabhimani, he was not involved in the day-to-day activities of the newspaper since the election campaign had started.
The LDF candidate, however, said, “Though Rahul Gandhi says he will not be saying a word against CPI(M) in Wayanad, his candidature itself gives out a message to the public that his fight is against us."
Elucidating this, he said, "Like Congress, CPI (M) is a party that strongly opposes the BJP. Rahul Gandhi could have contested in BJP strongholds in other states rather than contesting from Kerala, where BJP does not have an influence.”