The disclosures of Prasanth Babu, former aide of Kannur MP K Sudhakaran, came in handy for the Opposition on Thursday to corner the government.
However, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan stood ground and the Speaker disallowed an adjournment motion, for which notice was given by Deputy Opposition leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and floor leaders of other Opposition parties.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan led a walkout to protest against the decision of the Speaker to go by the stance of the ruling front. Though the government announced the replacement of the probe team dealing with the disclosures on the alleged role of K Sudhakaran in acts of violence in Kannur district in the past including the abortive attempt on the life of CPM leader and MLA E P Jayarajan, the Opposition remained unsatisfied. The probe team, which is currently headed by IG S Gopinath, has been replaced with a team headed by Southern Range IG Sheikh Darvesh Saheb.
The Chief Minister maintained that the case against K Sudhakaran was quite different from the ‘’many recent disclosures’’, in an apparent reference to M M Mani’s ‘’disclosures’’. Also, a writ petition is already pending against the MP in the Supreme Court.
Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that the issue of registering a case against Sudhakaran or Prasanth Babu would come up only after a proper probe. ‘’The practice of political parties giving the list of accused will not be there anymore,’’ he said. ‘’The disclosures of Prasanth Babu cannot be considered as a confession statement,’’he maintained.
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan read out the statement of Prasanth Babu which claimed that Sudhakaran had conspired to kill E P Jayarajan, his role in the Savourit Hotel attack and murder of bearer Nanu and in the Nalpadi Vasu murder case. E P Jayarajan, in a composed mood, asked the government to take suitable action against Sudhakaran and facilitate bringing peace to Kannur.
Achuthanandan alleged that the government was not sincere in taking action against Sudhakaran, and was only keen in giving excuses.
Amid protests, Chandy promised the House that a free and fair probe will be conducted. He also asked all political parties to introspect as to what the future of the state would be if the politics of violence was not contained. ‘’Such politics is not needed for the state,’’ he said, while the opposition members were staging the walk out.