KOTTAYAM: Back-to-back releases of two books, a service story by former DGP A Hemachandran and the autobiography of veteran CPI leader C Divakaran, appear to have revived ‘group’ politics in Congress.
The mentioning of judicial and police investigation into the solar scam that rocked the previous UDF government led by Oommen Chandy, in these books has created a favourable ground for the revival of group fights. Senior Congress leader and a known Chandy loyalist K C Joseph fired the first salvo by accusing the Congress leadership of not properly taking up the bribery allegation against Justice Sivarajan, who led the judicial probe into the solar scam.
Joseph also put senior leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who was the home minister during the beginning of the solar case, under the shadow in connection with the arrest of Chandy’s personal staffer Tenny Joppan.
Countering Joseph, Thiruvanchoor on Friday requested not to drag Chandy into controversies. Speaking to reporters in Kottayam, Thiruvanchoor said Congress leaders responded strongly to Divakaran’s revelations. “Those who have group differences should not drag Oommen Chandy into it. Chandy is an asset of Congress in Kerala. Congress party would accept any decision taken by Chandy. I request all not to commit a mistake by dragging Chandy into controversies,” he said.
“When the solar case surfaced, Congress unitedly threw its weight behind Chandy. There wasn’t any voice of dissent. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan strongly defended Chandy in the Assembly. State Congress president K Sudhakaran issued a statement regarding Divakaran’s revelations. All leaders responded in the matter. However, the intensity of responses can’t be assessed with a machine,” Thiruvanchoor said.
The leader said he had raised concerns about appointing Justice Sivarajan as the commission for investigating the solar case. “I still have the same assessment of Justice Sivarajan. I pointed out that he had been earlier appointed to the SC/ST commission and given an extension during the period of the LDF government led by V S Achuthanandan. The Commission lost its direction during the course of the probe and prepared a political report,” he said.
Thiruvanchoor said allegations against him regarding the arrest of Joppan have been proved false with the disclosure of Hemachandran that the then-home minister was not aware of the arrest.
“I had expressed my displeasure to Hemachandran over the arrest of Joppan without informing me. Hemachandran, after clarifying that there was no mistake in Joppan’s arrest, said he was ready to relinquish the charge of the investigation. But removing the head of the probe team in a sensational case would have created controversies. Hence, I decided to allow him to continue.There have been no complaints against the probe even after 10 years,” he said.