Shamseer row: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan warns CPI(M) cadres to be careful on 'faith' references

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid the ongoing 'myth' controversy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday warned his party cadres to be careful while commenting on matters related to faith. During a parliamentary committee meeting of the LDF, the Chief Minister warned the members of his party to be cautious with sensitive subjects of faith. He also said that there are chances of misinterpretation of words. 

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The believers make up a considerable portion of society, the chief minister informed his peers. He said that LDF respects all faiths and one could find believers among comrades too.

Kerala Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer stirred controversy when he said that the Centre was attempting to educate kids about Hindu myths rather than advances in science and technology.

 "They are attempting to prove that plastic surgery, infertility therapy, and aircraft have been around since the beginning of Hinduism. Wright Brothers were credited with creating the airplane during the time I was in school. They are currently attempting to prove that Pushpak Vimana is the first aircraft," he said.

Shamseer continued by claiming that the Hindutva ideologists spread the concept that Lord Ganesh received his face through plastic surgery and dismissed it as a myth.

The BJP and right-wing organisations launched a campaign against the Speaker and called for his apology.

While Shamseer's comment was welcomed at the time, CPM state secretary MV Govindan subsequently altered his opinion. Govindan, who had inquired as to whether the existence of Ganapati was a myth, afterward criticised the media for misrepresenting his remark.