THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political parties in the state came together to condemn the action of Madhya Pradesh police in preventing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from attending a programme in Bhopal.
Lashing out at the Madhya Pradesh Government, the CPM said that preventing the Chief Minister from attending a function was undemocratic and it indicated the fascist tactics of the MP government, police and the RSS.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that it was an insult to the state and wounded the self respect of Malayalees. It was not an issue that could be settled with a mere apology from Madhya Pradesh government.
He also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make it clear whether it was the Centre’s policy to deny civil rights to Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states.
Stating that the incident had not happened all of a sudden, he said it was a fascist act implemented by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with the knowledge of the Centre. He also said it was the responsibility of the state government to ensure the protection of a visiting Chief Minister. As per protocol, the Chief Minister is a state guest, he said.
The CPM also said that the incident was a violation of the constitution and federal system. Vijayan was to attend a reception hosted by the Malayali organisations in Bhopal on December 10. As many as 250 RSS activists had assembled outside the venue. The MP Police should have arrested them. Instead, they prevented the Chief Minister from attending the reception and seeing the people from his state, the CPM said and added that it was an unlawful act on the part of the police.
The CPM also called upon its units to hold protest marches and public meetings against this act. LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan also called upon to protest against this unlawful act.
Former Chief Minister Oomen Chandy and the Congress came out against the Madhya Pradesh Government.
KPCC president V M Sudheeran said that the act was condemnable. Chandy said that the incident was an insult to the state and should be protested. He said that preventing the Chief Minister from attending a programme was violation of the federal system.