THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government went back on the terms of the agreement reached with Mahija, mother of deceased engineering student Jishnu Prannoy, for ending the indefinite hunger strike demanding justice for her son, it has emerged. An RTI query by activist Shajarkhan, which was seen by Express, showed no files relating to the meeting had been maintained by the government.
Consequently, Jishnu’s family members were not handed over the document revealing the government’s acceptance of their demands, the sources said. “It is a grave lapse on the government’s part. It is nothing but a shocking betrayal of Mahija and her family. Though the government had promised to document their demands, nothing of this sort has been done till now,” Shajarkhan said.
“Moreover, they failed to hand over to Mahija the document pertaining to the mutually agreed upon demands. I suspect the government is reluctant to provide information through RTI,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s Office, which had given its word to Jishnu’s parents on this count, also did not maintain a record of Pinarayi Vijayan’s meeting with Mahija and Ashokan as well as those who called on the CM in this regard.
Mahija called off her hunger strike following the mediatory talks brokered by Public Prosecutor C P Udayabhanu and State Attorney K V Sohan. During the talks, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Mahija on the phone and assured her action would be taken against the police personnel if it was found they were indeed guilty of excesses. Besides, he promised to bring the other accused in the case to book.
K V Sohan conceded to Express the government did not document the terms and conditions put forth by Mahija.
False assurances?
Mahija called off her hunger strike following mediatory talks
CM Pinarayi Vijayan assured Mahija action would be taken against cops if it was found they were guilty of excessesAn RTI query showed the government had not maintained any file related to the meeting