THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Aggravating the troubles for the CPM, already struggling to explain its government’s deafening silence over the controversial ADGP-RSS meet, differences within the party leadership came to the fore on Monday with Speaker A N Shamseer openly justifying M R Ajith Kumar meeting parivar leaders and Finance Minister K N Balagopal terming RSS “communal”. LSG Minister M B Rajesh reminded the speaker that the Sangh fountainhead was banned post-Mahatma Gandhi assassination.
“A senior police officer met an RSS leader. The RSS is a prominent organisation in the country. The officer himself has clarified that he was accompanied by a friend. There’s no need to take this seriously, and I don’t find anything wrong with the meeting,” said Shamseer in Kozhikode, indicating that it was a personal visit and the whole controversy was unnecessary.
Shamseer’s remarks came at a time when the Left leadership, including LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan, has termed it a “serious matter”. While CPM state secretary M V Govindan has distanced the party from the ADGP’s meeting, CPI secretary Binoy Viswam has demanded action on the issue.
The Speaker’s nonchalant response, that too at a time when the entire party leadership has been on a balancing act, has irked many in the LDF and the party. Balagopal said in Delhi that RSS is an organisation that promotes communalism. The CPM state secretariat member, however, said officials meeting people — personally or professionally— is not something of importance.
In an apparent reference to Shamseer’s remarks, Rajesh pointed out that the CPM has always opposed the ideological leanings of the RSS. He further reminded that the party has a clear position about the Sangh parivar.
Speaker need not defend government: Salam
“It was an organisation banned by the then Home Minister Sardar Patel, post-Mahatma Gandhi assassination. Even now, CPM has the same position on the RSS,” said M B Rajesh. Salam came down heavily on Shamseer, saying the Speaker need not defend the government. He urged the CPM to clarify whether it’s the party’s official position. “The Speaker, who’s supposed to stay impartial, made such a statement. He has been playing super secretary of the CPM. Even CPM leaders won’t dare to make such a statement,” said Salam.