Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has set up a three-member commission to probe the police action on party workers, including district secretary P Raju and Muvattupuzha MLA Eldho Abraham, during a protest march to the office of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in Ernakulam on July 23.
The three members of the party commission are K P Rajendran, V Chamunni, and P P Suneer.
The Muvattupuzha MLA had fractured his arm after police baton-charged CPI workers during the protest march.
The commission would also inquire about the public statements made against CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran and the posters that turned up outside the party office at a few places.
CPI's state executive committee pointed out that lapses of its Ernakulam district leadership had led to the police action. However, the committee also came down heavily on the lenient stance taken by party chief Kanam over the police action on party activists.
During the meet, Kanam commented on the written complaints he had received against the district leadership given. The member of the district executive committee had submitted them.
The CPI chief asserted that there were no lapses on the part of the state leadership. He alleged that some portions of his statements were taken out of context and publicised.
Kanam also claimed that the CM called for a magisterial probe only after the party made a strong case for it.
However, several CPI leaders, including state assistant secretary Sathyan Mokeri, stated that Kanam should have reacted more strongly over the issue. E K Ismail and C N Jayadevan, who made veiled attacks against Kanam, were also slammed. The commission would also probe their statements.
After the CPI, the second largest party in the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), took up the police action with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the latter had ordered for a probe by the Ernakulam collector.
The CPI has now formed its own commission to probe the incident as no action was forthcoming from the authorities despite the CM's assurance that action would be taken based on the collector's report.
Kanam and Revenue Minister E Chandrashekharan had held talks with the CM and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan as the action against the police personnel was getting delayed.
The CM assured them that the action would not be delayed further, it is said.
No action yet on police thrashing of CPI leaders
Meanwhile, no action has been initiated against policemen who beat up CPI leaders, including Eldho Abraham MLA, two weeks into the incident. DGP Loknath Behra said he will take action once he received a report from Ernakulam District Collector.
Reports from top police officials and special branch are usually considered in cases where top leaders are involved.
However, the chief minister, as requested by CPI, ordered an inquiry by the district collector. Police action was also delayed since CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran and other party leaders came out in support of the cops. The party top brass stayed away from seeking an action against the policeman who beat Eldho even after he produced a picture of him.
A collector’s report criticising police action was sent to chief minister four days ago. But it is yet to be handed down to the DGP. T
he chief minister and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had held talks with CPI leaders yesterday. The police top brass is likely to settle for a minor punishment such as transfer considering the CPI leadership’s mellow approach in the matter.
