The Congress protest in Kothamangalam town on Monday with the mortal remains of the woman killed by an elephant has triggered a political slugfest between the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress.
The Congress reportedly took the body from the mortuary of the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital in the middle of the inquest despite the presence of the police. The debate was over whether the Congress had done so with the permission of the victim’s family or not. For more than two hours, the Congress, led by MP Dean Kuriakose, MLAs Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Eldhose Kunnappilly, and Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Muhammad Shiyas, staged a protest with the body in Kothamangalam town.
Law Minister P. Rajeeve said the alleged forcible custody of the victim’s body from the mortuary, without the permission of the mourning family members and before the inquest and post-mortem, was unheard of in the history of the State. He made it clear that a case would be registered, including against the people’s representatives.
“While an emotional response in the wake of such an incident is understandable, such parochial political action on the part of responsible people’s representatives is deplorable. It was an action that could have even forfeited the affected family their rightful compensation,” said Mr. Rajeeve with the victim’s brother Suresh, who the Congress claimed had participated in their protest, by his side. He hinted that Mr. Suresh was probably manipulated in his emotional state.
Mr. Kuzhalnadan, while claiming full responsibility for securing the body of the victim for the protest, however, shot down the allegation. He said he had personally shared with the husband and son of the victim the public sentiments for such an emotional protest. “They agreed with the sentiments and gave me the permission [to take the body for the protest]. It is a politically motivated allegation. And, it is not fair for a minister to trade such a blatant lie,” he said.
Mr. Shiyas claimed the party had secured the permission of the victim’s family and pointed to the presence of Mr. Suresh in the protest as proof of that. “In fact, it was the police who treated the body with disrespect by dragging it to the ambulance. The CPI(M) has also held numerous protests with bodies in the past. People’s protests assume many forms and it should not be dealt with in this manner,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Suresh’s son Athul Anthiyatt accused the Congress of taking away the body exploiting the emotional state of the mourning family. He accused the Congress activists of barging their way into the mortuary and taking away the body as the police remained mute spectators.
