THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after striking a truce, LDF MLA P V Anvar resumed firing on all cylinders on Wednesday, this time not sparing even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Immediately after meeting CPM state secretary M V Govindan, the Nilambur MLA reminded Pinarayi that it was the party that made him the chief minister.
“Who made him (Pinarayi) the chief minister? Isn’t it the party? Did he assume office from his home? Then whom should I show commitment to? I have commitment to the CM and the party. CM is the party’s representative,” said a reinvigorated Anvar, who had toned down his attack on Tuesday after Pinarayi told him to hold fire.
However, he said the CM cannot be blamed for the alleged criminal activities by top officers under him. “It is not his fault. Officers who betrayed his trust are to be blamed,” he said.
The timing of Anvar’s rhetoric against the CM has sparked speculations that the LDF independent legislator has the backing of the state CPM leadership. The party state secretariat, scheduled to meet on Friday, will look into the allegations raised by Anvar. The party is also likely to probe the allegations against CM’s political secretary P Sasi. With party conferences going on, the open accusations against the CMO will trigger discussions in party forums.
Meanwhile, the state police chief-led Special Investigation Team, constituted to look into the allegations, held its first meeting on Wednesday, and decided to conduct a preliminary probe by looking into all allegations. It will soon collect evidence from Anvar.
In another development, the Opposition UDF alleged that Pinarayi deputed ADGP (law and order) M R Ajith Kumar, who is in the eye of a storm, to hold parleys with RSS leadership on his behalf. BJP state chief K Surendran rubbished the allegation.
My petition is before party, CM & govt: Anvar
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Anvar expressed dissatisfaction over the investigation team constituted to probe allegations against Ajith Kumar. “Will the teachers and peon of a school be assigned to probe a complaint against the headmaster? Will they submit the report to the headmaster then? Do you think the government should adopt such a policy?” he asked. He was referring to the inclusion of officers junior to Ajith Kumar in the SIT. The team is led by State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb.
Anvar said he hoped that the SIT would be reconstituted and Ajith Kumar relieved of the charge of law and order. The government and the party have the responsibility to conduct the probe as per the procedures. “It is upto the government to keep the ADGP away from the key post. The party, the CM, and the government have dignity. My petition is before them,” he said.
“There are sincere officers in Kerala Police. They should be assigned with this probe. Or else, I would be branded a liar,” he said. Anvar said he will be watchful of the probe’s progress. “If the probe is submissive to the accused officer, I will be at the forefront of the people who would rise in protest,” he said.
The CPM-backed independent MLA had the government with its back to the wall through his recent revelations of alleged criminal activities by top guns, including Sasi and Ajith Kumar. Anvar said he submitted a formal complaint to Govindan as well. “He spoke to me in detail and I answered his questions. The rest will be decided by the government and the party,” he said.
Anvar said he is spearheading a revolution against the lobby that aims to destroy the government. “I have just begun. Revolutions are never systematic. People’s movements turn out to be revolutions. This too will turn out as a revolution against corruption, violence and the lobby that wants to destroy the government,” he said.
Anvar said he did not attend calls from the CMO and the party office after he took up the issue. “After my public statement and the issue with the SP, the CMO and the party office tried to contact me several times. I did not attend those calls. I switched off my phone and asked my staffers to switch off theirs as well. I decided to speak my mind fully and then meet the people responsible. Because I wanted the issue to be revealed completely. Now I’ve handed the responsibility to the government, the CM and the party secretary,” he said.
Anvar said he openly raised issues that every comrade in the state wanted to ask. Lakhs of people in the state love this government and their feelings should be respected. He alleged that the police have started efforts to destroy evidence against Sujith Das. The DANSAF team contacted smugglers and the gold appraiser working for the police shifted goods from his shop, he said.