The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has come out against the suspension of police officers who had beaten up Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union (KSU) workers for protesting against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the Nava Kerala Yatra. In a statement, the CPM state secretariat said such actions were politically motivated and urged the United Democratic Front (UDF) government to immediately stop settling political scores.
Allegations of Political Vendetta
The statement emphasized that retaliatory actions launched immediately after the UDF government assumed office must be stopped at once. It claimed that action against police officers who carried out their duties by preventing those who tried to attack the vehicle carrying the chief minister and other ministers is part of this political vendetta. The CPM asserted that when governments change, using such matters for political retribution is wholly inappropriate.
Security Arrangements Under Scrutiny
The statement further elaborated on security arrangements for the former chief minister. It noted that one may politically disagree with the Nava Kerala Sadas and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, and there can be democratic protests. However, the decision on Z-category security for the chief minister is not made by the state government. When the new government took over, it initially decided that only a pilot and escort were sufficient. Later, Z-category security was arranged on the recommendation of the Intelligence Bureau.
Recent Incidents in Thiruvananthapuram
The CPM pointed to recent incidents in Thiruvananthapuram as evidence of the state government deploying police with political motives. After the Kerala University union election victory, the Students Federation of India (SFI) held a celebratory march that was attacked by KSU members. According to the statement, instead of driving away the attackers, SFI activists were brutally beaten and cases were filed against them.
Unfulfilled Promises
The statement also criticized the UDF government for failing to implement any of the promises it said it would carry out immediately after assuming office. It noted that those who went around claiming that the treasury was empty have fallen silent after it emerged that around Rs 6,000 crore is available in the treasury.
