THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPI wants the Left government to withdraw the controversial ordinance amending the Lok Ayukta Act. The party decided to strongly convey its opposition against the amendment. The CPI leadership and party ministers drew flak at the state executive meet on Thursday for lack of vigil in the matter. The executive asked both the leadership and ministers to exercise more caution in future.
The CPI has decided to strongly convey its resentment against the ordinance to the CPM. The CPM has agreed to hold bilateral talks with the CPI before the legislation comes up in the Assembly. The party observed that the ordinance is untimely and can destroy the very spirit of the Lok Ayukta Act. “Even if there should be an amendment, this is not the way it should have been done. An appeal provision should have been introduced,” said sources.
Since the matter is now before the governor for his nod, the party will wait before taking a call. “When it first came before the cabinet, the CPI ministers had asked that it be postponed. On the second occasion, the cabinet took the decision in a hurry without consultations at the political level,” said sources.
At the executive meet on Thursday, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran urged party ministers to exercise more caution in such matters. Kanam expressed unhappiness over the lack of vigil on the part of party ministers in this regard.
The ministers however said they didn’t expect it to come up again in the cabinet. Also not getting clear instruction from the party secretary added to the confusion. “The party observed that the amendment was brought in a hurry without proper discussions,” said sources.
Explanation from Sivaraman
The CPI will seek an explanation from its Idukki secretary K K Sivaraman for his public remarks against the party stance in the Raveendran ‘pattayam’ issue. The CPI leadership also conveyed its displeasure to senior leader K E Ismayil for his statement against the party’s official stance in the matter. The CPI executive observed that Ismayil’s statement was not in line with the party’s official stance.