THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition UDF on Thursday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to trivialise the Edathala incident and divert people’s attention by adding an ‘extremist’ colour. UDF leaders also challenged the Chief Minister to register a case and arrest any Opposition MLA having extremist links.
UDF leaders said they will finalise their stand in the Assembly once senior leaders, including Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, return from New Delhi by Thursday evening. ‘’The Chief Minister has given a new dimension to the issue by alleging extremist links only to sweep the charges against the police under the rug,’’ senior Congress leader K C Joseph told reporters after the Assembly was prematurely adjourned for the day.
“Pinarayi Vijayan is fully responsible for the unfortunate incidents in the Assembly. He had provoked the Opposition by accusing it of encouraging extremists. The Chief Minister’s remarks about Aluva was a challenge thrown at the entire region. Throughout, he was trying to protect the police.”V D Satheesan demanded the Chief Minister withdraw his remarks and apologise to the Opposition and the people. ‘’If there are extremists in the Opposition as he says, he should register a case against them and arrest and imprison them. Does he have the courage?’’ he said, adding that the government has lost control over the police.
V K Ibrahim Kunju of the IUML said the Chief Minister’s charges were more damaging than the injury sustained by Usman. The government should terminate the services of the four policemen involved in the incident, he said.
‘’It is a black day for the Assembly,’’ he said. Anwar Sadath, who had moved the adjournment motion, denied that he had employed any word intended to create a communal rift. UDF leaders also termed the charges that a woman police officer was injured in the ribs in the violence as trumped up. It was this same officer who had later taken the statement from Usman at the Rajagiri Hospital, they said.
‘Withdraw remarks and apologise’
T’Puram: K C Joseph MLA has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asking him to withdraw his baseless remarks about the extremist links of certain Opposition MLAs and tender an apology in the Assembly. Joseph also wanted Pinarayi to withdraw his remarks about Aluva. The Chief Minister’s comment that Aluva was not an independent republic was unbecoming of the leader of the House and should be withdrawn, Joseph said in his letter. Joseph wrote to Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan asking him to expunge the “humiliating remarks” made by the Chief Minister from the Assembly documents if he remained unrepentant.
MLA writes to CM to bear med expenses of Usman
T’Puram: Anwar Sadath MLA has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demanding the government to shoulder the medical expenses of Usman, the victim of the Edathala police brutality. Usman has sustained grievous injuries in the attack. The police brutality has left him with a fractured cheek bone and injuries to the jaw and eyes, Sadath said in his letter. Usman’s family is running from pillar to post to meet the medical expenses, he said. In his letter, Sadath also named Siraj, another policeman of the Edathala station who was also allegedly involved in the assault.