Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 2 (NationPress) The Congress party has ramped up its confrontation with the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government of Kerala by unveiling a new website and distributing a charge sheet as part of the ‘Kadakku Purathu’ initiative. This slogan has become synonymous with the Chief Minister's contentious interactions with both the media and his critics.

The origin of this campaign is rooted in a 2017 event when Chief Minister Vijayan abruptly instructed reporters to “Kadakku Purathu” (translated from Malayalam as “get out”) during a peace meeting that included senior leaders from CPI-M and BJP/RSS in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Chief Minister reportedly lost his composure upon noticing a large press presence and demanded their exit.

It was only after the journalists had vacated the meeting room that he entered.

Following the incident, the Chief Minister’s Office defended his actions, asserting that the media had not been invited to the gathering.

This outburst sparked significant protests from journalists throughout Kerala, who voiced their discontent across various media platforms including newspapers, TV channels, and social media.

The event is particularly memorable because of the strong headlines published by a prominent local daily, which sharply condemned the governmental stance on press freedom.

By resurrecting this slogan, the Congress aims to transform a moment of public discontent into a political tool in anticipation of upcoming elections.

As part of the campaign, the party has launched kadakkupurathu.com, a website through which citizens can symbolically “remove the Chief Minister from power”.

The site also provides a platform for individuals to voice their complaints regarding the government.

Access to the site is available by scanning a QR code featuring the Chief Minister's image or by visiting the URL directly.

The website contains a comprehensive charge sheet detailing what the Congress describes as the government’s failures across various sectors.

Highlighted issues include youth unemployment, the agrarian crisis, reported temple thefts, escalating drug abuse, wildlife incursions into human settlements, and threats to secular values in the state.

The Congress has framed this initiative as a means to harness public frustration against what it terms as PR-centric governance.

As political tensions escalate with elections nearing, the revival of ‘Kadakku Purathu’ illustrates how a phrase spoken in anger nearly eight years ago has resurfaced to challenge the Chief Minister in the political landscape, especially with Assembly polls expected to be announced shortly.