Thiruvananthapuram: The district level executive meeting of the Communist Party of India (CPI) held in Kochi was highly critical of its state secretary Kanam Rajendran and his indifferent stance in the police action against party activists including CPI MLA Eldho Abraham.
'Kanam's hands have been tied,' the executive meeting criticized.
Though injured CPI legislator Eldho Abraham who was thrashed by cops turned up for the meeting with his fractured arm, his party boss did not turn up for the meet.
Though Kanam had turned in the vicinity as part of the central region reporting, he stayed away from the executive meeting. He rested at the constituency committee president's house till the meeting ended. MLA Eldho met him at the residence.
If the trend continues, Kanam will soon dismiss the party. The state secretary completely diregarded the district committee's opinion. Our MLA is unable to face the public due to Kanam's stance, the executive meet opined.
“If this continues, CPI will stop getting followers for its protests. The fact that he was lenient in the Binoy Kodiyeri issue and indifferent in an incident where a party MLA got thrashed by the local police is deplorable,” they added.
Indicating that the CPI has ditched its own party members, its state secretary Kanam Rajendran had refused to decry the baton charge on agitating party members by commenting that the cops did not barge into their homes but they went up to them and asked for it.
While those supporting Kanam defended his statement, the opposing faction has decided to use the statement as a weapon against the leader.
“The CPI leaders are not meant to beaten up, especially when in power,”said former CPI MP CN Jayadevan.
A graffitti demanding his resignation and the deliverance of CPI has appeared outside the party office in Alappuzha district.
The party's Ernakulam district leadership, which had the nod to take out a march to the Njarackal police station to protest against an action of the Circle Inspector, unilaterally converted it to a march to the DIG's office apparently to get more media attention, but invited police anger in the end.
Kanam termed the police charge as a local issue and a routine event during strikes even as CPI district secretary P Raju and MLA Eldho Abraham, who were injured in the police cane charge, continued their tirade against the cops on Thursday too.
“I can only respond like this,” Kanam said.
“What can I say if the police did not recognise the district secretary and the MLA? You should put the question to the cops. I have nothing to say to A K Balan's remark (that even ruling front members need to be careful or else they will get beaten up). Since Balan himself has denied saying such a thing, what else can I say!" He replied.
Kanam's endorsement of the police action comes amid criticism over his silence against the assault on its MLA and other party leaders. He passed this comment, which has likely displeased his party rank and file, after meeting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Thursday.
Facing the ire from party quarters in several districts, Kanam later softened his stance and said that he was merely carifying a media query on the possibility of foul play. He never meant to defend the police action. He added that the grafitti could not have been the work of a CPI activist.
Since, the state secretary is usually known for his strong statements against the CPM, his take on the issue took party activists by surprise.
The CM had assured Kanam that the collector's report on the police charge will be available by Monday and action will be taken on the basis of the findings. They also agreed not to trigger another CPI-CPM fight over the issue.
Meanwhile, Eldho, who was injured in the police cane charge, left the hospital on Thursday. The MLA and other leaders will provide evidence to the collector on Friday.
