'Unbecoming of people's representative': Kerala minister on Gopi's 'vanara' remarks
18 Aug 2025
Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has slammed Union Minister Suresh Gopi for his "vanara" (monkey) remark. The comment was made in the context of allegations of voters' list manipulation against him.
In a Facebook post, Sivankutty called Gopi's remarks "insulting, unfortunate, and undemocratic," adding that they were unbecoming of a people's representative.
Complaints about electoral rolls crucial for democracy: Sivankutty
Transparency call
Sivankutty stressed that complaints about electoral rolls are crucial for transparency in democracy.
He warned that ridiculing those who file such complaints could undermine public trust in democratic processes.
"Suresh Gopi should retract his remarks and apologise to the public. Those in responsible positions should be careful to use decent language," he said.
Congress DCC president says Gopi trying to deflect attention
Accusations unfold
The District Congress Committee (DCC) president, Joseph Tajet, also criticized Gopi's remarks. He said the Congress party doesn't respond in kind to such language.
Tajet accused Gopi of using these remarks to deflect attention from serious allegations against him.
The Congress has accused Gopi of submitting a false declaration for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency voters' list for the 2024 general election and has filed a police complaint against him.
