No links with gold smugglers: CPM leaders
KANNUR: Since the party finds itself on the backfoot regarding its links with people like Arjun Ayanki, who has gone absconding as Customs and police have started investigating his involvement in the gold smuggling attempt at Karipur airport, more leaders have come out in an attempt to save their face, publicly denouncing smugglers and quotation gangs. On Saturday, Excise Minister and CPM central committee member M V Govindan and DYFI district secretary M Shajar reiterated the stand taken by district secretary M V Jayarajan two days ago.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, M V Govindan said that the party will not protect any quotation gangs which operate in gold smuggling and other illegal activities. “The party has taken a strong stand regarding this. Whoever it is, the party will not deviate from its stand. The party will not protect such people. There will not be any exception to this stand. The party’s stand regarding such people is very clear and it is always like that”, said Govindan.
DYFI district secretary M Shajar also joined top leaders in denying the organisation’s links with people like Akash Thillankeri and Arjun Ayanki. In his Facebook post, Shajar said that those party supporters who shower ‘likes’ on social media to smugglers should correct themselves and these fan clubs should disperse from such cyber spaces. Sources said that the explanation of district secretary of DYFI has come in the wake of reports that Arjun Ayanki used the car registered in the name of DYFI Chembilode zonal secretary Sajesh.
“There are some warrior lions (Porali Simhangal) who spend their daytime on Facebook and indulge in smuggling when the whole world sleeps. So many people have found their place in the list of fans of these people through social media. Some of these fans have not yet realised the real face of these cyber warriors. I expect those who post likes on social media to these smugglers would correct themselves or they would have to suffer humiliation later for doing so. Members of these fan clubs should disperse themselves”, he said in his FB post.
“You people think that these youths have connections with our organisation. DYFI has repeatedly made clear its stand regarding such people and outfits as we know these people well. People should realise their mistakes and come forward to protect our land from these anarchists”, he said. It is said that the party is feeling the heat regarding the ongoing investigation into the Karipur gold smuggling attempt. They also think that the BJP, which is on the backfoot politically, would use the incident to attack CPM and the Left government for its links with smuggling mafia.
DYFI EXPELS SAJESH
Kannur: DYFI Chembilode zonal secretary C Sajesh has been expelled from the organisation for his alleged connections with Arjun Ayanki, who is suspected to have played a key role in the gold smuggling attempt at Karipur airport recently. In a statement on Saturday, DYFI district committee said that Sajesh, who is also a member of Ancharakkandi block committee of DYFI, has been removed from the primary membership of the organisation with immediate effect. In the statement, it is said that the decision is being taken as Sajesh has associated with some antisocial elements which is not befitting to the organisation. Arjun Ayanki, who has gone into hiding as both police and customs have been searching for him in connection with the Karipur gold smuggling attempt, had gone to the airport in the car owned by Sajesh.