THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The presence of health minister K K Shailaja at an RSS-sponsored programme in Gujarat was a telling example of the tacit understanding between CPM and Sangh Parivar outfits, alleged opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala “The minister’s office is trying to paint the programme as a central government initiative. But, state government records speak volumes about the organizers. It’s clearly stated that the programme is organised by World Ayurveda Foundation, which is an organization under RSS’s Vigyan Bharati. If it was a central government-sponsored programme, the invite should have come from the Centre. But in this case, World Ayurveda Foundation treasure Dr Sunilkumar extended the invite to the health minister,” he added.The minister and a 16-member delegation attended the function in Gujarat. “We should note that no minister from other states attended the programme. Earlier, CPM had given a call to boycott the event,” he alleged, adding that it was not the first time CPM had joined hands with RSS for similar programmes. The health minister’s office stuck to the stand that the event was held under the aegis of Union government. “First Ayurveda congress was held in Kerala in 2002. That event was inaugurated by then Union minister Shatrughan Sinha. The then chief minister AK Antony was a participant,” said the minister’s office.

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