Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said his state “has nothing to learn from the BJP or the RSS”, a day after BJP chief Amit Shah invited him for a debate.

During the valedictory function of the Jan Raksha Yatra on Tuesday, Shah said the BJP was ready to debate with Vijayan on issues such as development, eradication of poverty and ideological matters.

Vijayan replied to the challenge on his Facebook page, saying:

“If the BJP supremo Amit Shah intends to have debate on the levels of development and ideologies, the challenge would be welcomed wholeheartedly.”

Addressing Shah directly, he said: “Amit Bhai! development does not mean few high-rise buildings or growth of crony capitalism and few businessmen as practised by BJP-led governments. Can he or his imported coterie tell whether a state ruled by BJP anywhere near or even comparable with Kerala’s international standards of Human Development Index. The development model Kerala has set bases itself on the progressive stances of the people in Kerala. This state has a heart built on secular values. The BJP has an agenda of hate and communal ideologies.”

He said the people of Kerala had rejected the BJP’s Jan Raksha Yatra. “This flopped yatra exposed the double standards of BJP to the people of this country.”

“What was the intention of the provocative propaganda and incitement..? To shatter the peace and harmony in the state?”

Pointing to the Vengara bypoll, he said: “The abysmal performance of BJP… speak volumes. Amit Shah must now realise how the people of Kerala perceive such crooked politics and I hope he will glady take home a lesson taught by the people of Kerala.”