THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian has forced the CPM to go on the backfoot saying that the Indian Constitution “condones exploitation” and is being used to “plunder” people. The Opposition UDF on Tuesday demanded his resignation and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan sent a strong message remarking that those who have assumed constitutional offices should be conscious of their responsibilities. Khan indicated that he expects the chief minister to take appropriate action.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan, who sought a clarification from Cherian about his speech at Mallappally last Sunday, was initially of the view that there was no need for him to resign. CPM too chose to downplay the controversy and give the benefit of doubt to the minister. Cherian clarified his statement in the assembly following the CM’s directive. However, the governor’s remarks seem to have changed the scenario, prompting a rethink by CPM leadership, it is reliably learnt.
“Those charged with special responsibilities and are holding elected offices, take an oath to uphold the Constitution and the law. I hope, in all sincerity, that everyone will be conscious of one’s responsibilities,” Khan told reporters on the sidelines of an event. He hoped the CM will take notice of the speech and inform him of future course of action. Khan said he has not sought any report from the government on the speech, but was “keeping a watch” on the situation.
It all began with a speech by Cherian at a CPM event in Pathanamthitta. The speech became viral in social media after the party’s Mallappally area committee shared a video of it. Cherian said the Constitution was written by Indians, but prepared by the British, and is being executed in the country for 75 years. Acknowledging that there were some merits in the Constitution such as secularism and democracy, he said it has always favoured exploitation of the working class.
Cherian also complained that the media and judiciary were not supportive of working class. Shortly after his remarks kicked off a storm, the video was removed from the Facebook page. The UDF raised the issue in the assembly and boycotted Cherian’s speech in protest. He said his speech was misreported by the media.
“I and my party respect the Constitution and uphold the supreme values in it. What I intended to say was that the directive principles need to be strengthened. Else, the Constitution can’t put up any resistance against growing inequalities in the state. I hadn’t intended to discredit the Constitution,” he said. Later, Cherian said he was speaking about how the ruling dispensation misinterprets the Constitution and butchers democracy and secularism.
Why should I resign, asks minister
“Why should I resign? I have said nothing against the Constitution,” the minister said when reminded about the Opposition’s demand for his resignation. CPM politburo member M A Baby and LDF convener E P Jayarajan dismissed demands for the minster’s resignation. While Baby dubbed the criticism as a ‘slip of tongue’, Jayarajan endorsed the speech and alleged that Congress was kicking up an unnecessary controversy. However, CPI leadership was upset by the controversy and conveyed to CPM that it should have been avoided.
The minister’s speech also triggered protests in which he was burnt in effigy in various places by Congress and BJP workers. Organisations under both parties organised marches to government secretariat in the evening. Youth Congress workers also took out a march to to Cherian’s office in Chengannur, his constituency.