Kozhikode: Taking a dig at the opposition, PWD and Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas on Monday said  Congress workers are actually ‘glorifying’ UP by comparing the poorly governed North Indian state with Kerala. 

Talking to the media in Kozhikode, the minister cited the 'horrors of Uttar Pradesh'. “We all know about communal violence and murders that happen in UP on a daily basis. The Kerala government and its police will never allow such things to happen in the state,” said Riyas. 

“The entire state is shocked over the brutal murder of the five-year-old girl in Aluva. But politicising the issue is a heinous crime. I would like to know the opinion of the national leadership of Congress on their Kerala leaders’ decision to compare our state with violence-prone UP,” added the Minister.

Riyas also reminded "how the Unnao rape case victim and her family were tormented by the BJP government in UP". He also talked about the rising police brutality and fake encounters in the North Indian state.

“The Kerala government will take all possible actions in the Aluva case. Will ensure strict punishment for the culprit,” noted Riyas.

Ridiculing BJP state president K Surendran’s statement on the Aluva incident, Riyas reminded him of the rising number of rape cases being reported from Uttar Pradesh every day. He also recalled the tragic stories of over a dozen journalists who were brutally murdered in the Yogi-ruled state.