Sivankutty’s decision to stay doesn’t have many precedents

From K Karunakaran and K M Mani to K T Jaleel, ministers from both fronts gave up their cabinet berths whenever courts pointed fingers of suspicion at them
V Sivankutty throwing an emergency lamp from the Speaker’s dais during the assembly ruckus on March 13, 2015 | FILE PIC
V Sivankutty throwing an emergency lamp from the Speaker’s dais during the assembly ruckus on March 13, 2015 | FILE PIC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When minister V Sivankutty appears at the CJM Court to be tried as an accused in a criminal case, it will be a spectacle rarely witnessed in state’s politics. To avoid the awkwardness of facing trial while in office, ministers from both fronts, used to quit whenever courts pointed fingers of suspicion at them. CPM has directed Sivankutty not to quit as the case is related to a democratic protest only. Jose K Mani, chairman of KC (M) and son of former finance minister K M Mani, also supports CPM’s argument. “Violation of democratic principles is evident in the case. The minister should resign immediately upholding moral and constitutional grounds,” said political scientist G Gopakumar.  

While several ministers, from K Karunakaran to K T Jaleel, had quit following adverse observations from the court, former CM Oommen Chandy decided against it despite the Vigilance court’s order to probe his role in the palmolein oil import deal. Chandy handed over Vigilance portfolio to colleague Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan in August 2011 and said the probe would be free and fair as he was not at the department’s helm. 

In 1978, Karunakaran quit as CM following High Court’s observations in Rajan case, related to the missing of an engineering student in police custody during Emergency. SRP leader and Excise minister N Sreenivasan quit the government headed by Karunakaran in 1986 after the Commission of Prevention of Corruption found some of his decisions aiding corruption. R Balakrishna Pillai quit the 1991 Karunakaran cabinet in 1995 after he was convicted for corruption by the Idamalayar case special court. In 2005, forest minister K P Viswanathan quit from Chandy government following HC observation that sandalwood mafia had close links with the minister. 

PWD minister T U Kuruvila quit the V S Achuthanandan cabinet in 2007 after a judicial probe was ordered into the illegal land deals allegedly orchestrated by his relatives. K M Mani quit following an adverse remark from the High Court on the bar bribery case. On November 10, 2015, he submitted his resignation to CM Chandy after HC remarked that ‘Caesar’s wife too should be above suspicion’. 

In the previous government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, NCP leader Thomas Chandy quit in November 2017 after the vigilance court ordered a probe into encroachment of backwater land by a resort he owned. His colleague Jaleel had to quit following an adverse remark made by Lok Ayukta on the appointment of a close relative in his department. 

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