THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose has kicked up a controversy after he wrote a newspaper article justifying the killing of maoists in Attppady.
While Opposition UDF raised the issue in the Assembly, left ally CPI has come down heavily on the Chief Secretary for his article justifying the police action. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Assembly that he would examine the issue.
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On Tuesday raising the issue in the House Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Chief Secretary does not have the right to write such an article.
"The chief secretary is also the cabinet secretary of the government. In his article, he has stated that rights under Article 21 are not applicable to Maoists. Only during Emergency, such a situation arises," said Chennithala.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said reiterated that the Thunderbolt acted on self-defence. Pinarayi said he hasn't read the article, and assured to examine the issue.
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Meanwhile, the CPI leadership also came out strongly against the chief secretary. CPI assistant secretary K Prakash Babu termed the chief secretary's article illegal. Such an article should have not have come out when the assembly session is on. It's illegal.
The Chief Secretary should have never made such a statement. He does not have the right to do do. The state has a democratic government, said the CPI adding that the government should take necessary steps to restrict bureaucrats, the CPI has demanded.
The CPI delegation handed over its report on Maoist killings to the Chief Minister. The delegation has come out with its report after visiting the spot. The chief minister has agreed to go through the report, said CPI.