THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fire and rescue services personnel who gave training to Popular Front of India (PFI) activists during a function in Aluva last week will likely face action as a preliminary report submitted by a department official has found lapses on their part.
Currently under the home department’s consideration, the report by the technical director of the fire and rescue services department recommended action against the regional fire officer, district fire officer and three others, who imparted the training to the PFI relief team during its state-level inauguration on March 30. Controversy had erupted after the incident came to light.
The report found that the training was provided based on the regional fire officer’s order. However, the officers committed lapses in following rules and obtaining permission from their superiors, it said. The PFI on Saturday labelled the controversy false propaganda by the Sangh Parivar as part of its communal polarisation agenda. The PFI officer-bearers told reporters that BJP viewed firefighters providing training to PFI’s rescue and relief teams as a crime.
“People of Kerala know PFI has provided relief to them during disasters. What contribution has the BJP, by spreading communalism and hatred, made to the state’s progress? In Kerala, which regularly faces natural calamities like floods and landslides, religious, political and social organisations need to come forward and help people,” said PFI state general secretary A Abdul Sathar.
He said PFI volunteers had done commendable work in rescue missions and relief and rehabilitation works during the 2018 flood and in subsequent years when floods, landslides and mudslips were reported in the state.PFI state secretary S Nisar said its volunteers also helped victims of cyclone Ockhi and supported people during the Nipah and Covid outbreaks. “The services of our activists in connection with Covid containment were commended and the volunteers rewarded in various states,” he said.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader V D Satheesan said the fact that PFI volunteers were trained by firefighters needed to be seriously investigated. “CPM is adopting an approach that favours minority-majority communalism for temporary political gain. CM Pinarayi Vijayan is indulging in religious appeasement in the name of social engineering. Earlier, it was reported that these organisations had infiltrated the police and created problems. First, CPM must end its policy of appeasement. The party posted its people to key positions in the police. Everything is left to the party leaders which is why police are unable to act. This is dangerous,” he said.