THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after key LDF allies stitched up a truce on the PM SHRI issue, senior CPM leader and General Education Minister V Sivankutty lashed out at CPI leaders, including his cabinet colleague G R Anil, and its youth and student wings for “objectionable” remarks and “needless” protests.
Meanwhile, CPI central secretariat member K Praksh Babu, one among the CPI leaders Sivankutty chastised, expressed regrets over his remarks against CPM general secretary M A Baby. CPI’s youth arm AIYF also apologised to the minister.
Hitting out at Anil, Sivankutty alleged that the food and civil supplies minister made an insulting remark on him when he visited the CPI state committee office to hold discussions, with state secretary Binoy Viswam on the PM SHRI issue. Sivankutty told reporters that Anil made the “belittling remarks” to the media and spoke as if an “insignificant person” had walked into their office.
Sivankutty alleged Prakash Babu used “improper language” against Baby. Using words such as “helpless” while referring to Baby’s stand on the matter was “totally unacceptable”, he said.
The AISF and AIYF also came in for sharp criticism from Sivankutty who accused both the outfits of “overstepping all limits”. He alleged that the CPI affiliates tried to portray him as “communal”, ignoring his political history.
Asked by reporters about his cabinet colleague’s remarks, Anil said he was “surprised” to hear that. He and Sivankutty knew each other since their student days, Anil said, adding he had never used any offensive words about anyone.
Prakash Babu told reporters that he called up Baby to personally express regret and thanked him for his intervention to resolve the issue.AIYF also apologised to the leader. There are indications that the CPI leadership directed its youth wing to apologise.
The general education department’s signing of MoU with the Union government on implementation of PM SHRI had worsened the relations between the CPM and the CPI. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced constitution of a 7-member cabinet subcommittee to study CPI’s concerns on PM SHRI, leading to a truce between the parties.