The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Tuesday continued to target the Jamaat-e-Islami over its recent discussion with the RSS and urged the Muslim outfit to explain to the public benefits of the parleys.

Party state secretary M V Govindan charged that the organisation was accusing the Left party of 'spreading Islamophobia' to deliberately cover up their stand towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

He was speaking to reporters in the district in between the party's state-wide month-long People's Defence Rally, which began here on Monday.

Stepping up his attack, Govindan said, "The Jamaat-e-Islami should explain to the people clearly what they are going to achieve by holding discussions with the RSS. The fact is that by using the term Islamophobia, a deliberate attempt is being made to cover up the stand of the Jamaat-e-Islami and the RSS." They were trying to blame the CPI (M) for that, he claimed and demanded that the outfit explain the benefit of holding talks with the Sangh Parivar.

The party state secretary's criticism comes a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attacked the Jamaat-e-Islami for its parleys with the RSS.

In a recent Facebook post also, Vijayan attacked the Muslim outfit over the development and said their argument that there was a need for dialogue despite their disagreements with the Sangh Parivar 'exposes its hypocrisy.' Jamaat-e-Islami's parleys with the RSS in New Delhi last month have evoked sharp criticism from various quarters in the southern state.

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