THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who directed the police not to stop the three Youth Congress workers from flying in the same aircraft in which he had boarded from Kannur on Monday.“The CM took a view against stopping the persons who use public transport. He was aware of the chances for a protest, but didn’t want to stop them. Had that been the case, there would have been a bigger controversy,” said CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
He was interacting with a team of TNIE journalists as part of ‘Express Dialogues’ series here on Wednesday.The three workers, including the two who later shouted slogans against the CM on board, told the police that they were going to visit a relative who was undergoing treatment at RCC, Thiruvananthapuram.“The intelligence promptly briefed the police about the trio and their suspected last minute travel. But, the CM directed the police not to stop them,” said Kodiyeri.
Responding to a query on the protests by political parties stooping low with cadre targeting leaders and party offices, Kodiyeri said the CPM didn’t approve attacks against party offices and leaders.
“Such incidents should not happen. Nobody should attack party offices while undertaking a protest demonstration. We have given a firm directive to all regarding that. It is the LDF government that included party offices also under the purview of The Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private Property and Payment of Compensation Act, 2019,” he said. The interaction between Kodiyeri and TNIE team will be published in the issue dated June 19.