CPIM leader's daughter alleges parents took away her child, launches hunger strike in front of Kerala Secretariat

Anupama has said that despite filing a police complaint the police hadn't taken action against the perpetrators.
Anupama holds a placard saying that a mother was being denied justice. (Photo | Express)
Anupama holds a placard saying that a mother was being denied justice. (Photo | Express)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule in Kerala, the daughter of a CPI (M) leader on Saturday launched a hunger strike seeking her child back as she alleged the child was taken away by her parents who opposed her relationship with a Dalit Christian youth. 

According to our Kerala bureau, demanding speedy justice and a reunion with her lost baby, Anupama S Chandran, a native of Peroorkada has started a hunger strike in front of the secretariat. 

Anupama has said that despite filing a police complaint the police hadn't taken action against the perpetrators and the strike was an effort to bring light to the issue and speed up the investigation, book the culprits and find her missing baby.

Holding a placard that a mother was being denied justice, and asking whom the baby was sold to, Anupama and her partner Ajith began a hunger strike in front of the North gate of the secretariat in the morning. Maintaining that the protest wasn't directed against any political party, Anupama said that she wanted the state government to take notice of the issue. "No action has been taken against the people who were responsible for taking away my baby. I want the state government to intervene and bring about speedy justice," said Anupama. 

According to her, the baby was taken away from her three days after her delivery. Anupama is the daughter of Jayachandran, the Peroorkada CPI-M area committee member. Anupama gave birth to a male baby on October 19 and her baby was taken away from her by her father, according to her complaint. She had filed a police complaint against her parents and siblings alleging that they were involved in taking away her baby. 

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The state government had earlier ordered a probe into the issue of the baby going missing. According to Anupama, Health Minister Veena George had called her and assured her that every effort will be taken to track down her baby. 

"We want to ensure that such a situation doesn't happen to anyone ever again," said her partner Ajith. 

The strike which began at 10 am will continue up till 5 in the evening. 

The 22-year-old Anupama and her partner Ajith claimed that the former's father and CPI (M) Peroorkada local committee member P S Jayachandran took away the child from her since her family opposed her relationship with Ajith. Anupama belongs to the Ezahava community while Ajith is a Dalit Christian, reports said.

Lately, according to a report, Minister for Women and Child Development Veena George has entrusted Women and Child Development secretary Rani George to probe into Anupama's complaint. 

Anupama has been fighting to trace her baby since April this year. The baby went missing three days after she delivered the child on October 19, 2020. Anupama claims that the baby was taken away by her father and other relatives. Since the baby was born out of wedlock, her family had tried to cover up the same and decided to take away the child, she said.

Anupama was a former leader of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student's wing of CPI (M). She fell in love with Ajith who was a cadre of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of CPI (M). 

In fact, Anupama's parents have been harassing her ever since she became pregnant and after her baby went missing she gave complaints to several authorities but to no avail. She has also aired her grievance to the party leadership which also paid no heed. 

With the issue snowballing into a controversy, the Peroorkada police this week booked a case against Anupama's parents and a few others. The case has been registered against Anupama’s father Jayachandran, mother Smitha James, who is a CPI (M) branch committee member, sister, her husband, and two of her father’s friends. 

According to the police, a kidnapping case under Section 461 and a few other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been slapped against the suspects.

On April 19, 2021, Anupama lodged a complaint with the Peroorkada police, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the CPI (M ) district leadership, alleging that her relatives took her baby away. However, the police did not register a case at that time.

As per the complaint, her relatives took away the child and promised her that the baby would be brought back once Anupama’s sister got married. However, even after the marriage, the baby was not brought back. Following this, Anupama left her home in April and started living with Ajith. Later, they got married officially. Ajith married Anupama after his divorce from his first wife. Later, they jointly lodged a complaint with the police.

Anupama's father maintained that the child was separated from his daughter with her consent. He claimed the child was placed in 'Ammathottil', the cradle in front of the Child Welfare Centre in Thycaud.

Anupama on Saturday said that the party failed to come to her rescue when she approached the leadership and she is unsure to what extent the party would be able to help her out in tracing her child.

The party on Friday affirmed that it wants the affected woman to get her baby back. However, the CPI (M) said it has limitations in intervening in the matter as it involves legal implications.

But soon after she launched a protest along with her husband, reports quoted her as saying that she had met CPI (M) state secretary and LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan twice but to no avail. She has lost faith in the Women's Commission as well. Now only the court could help her, she pointed out.

Meanwhile, Ajith's first wife came out against Anupama saying that the latter was fully conscious when she gave the child for adoption. "It was after I went to her house and asserted that I will not divorce Ajith that she gave the child for adoption," she said.  She further alleged that she was forced to divorce Ajith because of all of Anupama's "show."

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