Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s attitude that there should be no protest against him is “anti-democratic” and this deserves to be condemned, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has said.
At a press conference in Kochi on January 2 (Tuesday), Mr. Satheesan said the Congress party and its workers were protesting against the “luxury sadas”, or conventions, led by the Chief Minister and supported by other Ministers at a time when Kerala is steeped in debts and is on the brink of becoming a pauper. “There is also a situation in which the administration of the State is at a total standstill,” he said.
It is against these tendencies that protests are being organised but the State Government has engineered law and order in such a way that the cases against KSU activists and their SFI counterparts are treated differently. While the SFI activists are being allowed to go on bail, the KSU cadres arrested for similar offences are denied bail and subjected to bad treatment by the police, he alleged.
The Home department in the State is run by a coterie engaged in a conspiracy against the people and the Opposition. The police is controlled by the CPI(M) party machinery, Mr. Satheesan alleged.
He said the Congress has never criticised or excommunicated those who participated in the breakfast meetings convened by the Chief Minister. However, Fisheries and Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian sharply criticised Christian priests who participated in a Christmas celebration organised by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Mr. Cherian’s words were very rude and were uttered with the knowledge of the Chief Minister. This explains why the Chief Minister has not responded to the incident so far, said Mr. Satheesan.
He also wanted to know the views of Jose K. Mani, MP, and Minister Roshy Augustine on the matter.
Mr. Satheesan went on to add that the State welfare pensions have been disrupted and there are no medicines available at medical institutions run by the government. “While the government is so poor, it is engaging in the luxury of holding the Navakerala Sadas, which is a splurge of people’s money,” he said.
