THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when both the Kerala government and the Left Front face their worst political crisis, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan dismissed the demand raised by the RJD, CPI and NCP at the LDF meeting to take disciplinary action against ADGP MR Ajith Kumar for his controversial meeting with RSS leaders. The CM reportedly told the meeting that an inquiry led by the DGP is underway and they should wait for it to be complete. However, he assured Left Front partners that action would be taken against the responsible police officers for allegedly disrupting the Thrissur pooram.
Contrary to the usual 'peaceful' atmosphere during LDF meetings where none of the partners ever question the authority of the CM, on Wednesday CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and NCP state president PC Chacko lashed out at Pinarayi Vijayan by raising the issue. The CM who presided over the meeting, while presenting the day's agenda, did not include the ADGP-RSS meeting. However, RJD national general secretary Varghese George questioned the omission of the subject. "LDF is supposed to be a political body of the Left Front. Hence the issue of controversial meetings of ADGP-RSS leaders should be included in the agenda," he demanded.
He also said that the RSS is making progress on Kerala's political stage. "Even in the presidential election, the BJP got a vote from the state. The BJP has increased its vote share from 13 percent to 19 percent in the last parliament election. In this situation, the ADGP-RSS meeting is a very serious issue and it should be subjected to discussion," Varghese said.
Chacko told the CM that there is a provision to suspend the ADGP pending the inquiry. "This is very urgently needed to protect the image of the government. The decision of not taking disciplinary action in the disguise of not succumbing to the opposition's political pressure is not a right thing. If the government suspends the ADGP, it will only increase the acceptance and image of the government and LDF among the public," he reportedly said.
Viswam also demanded the ADGP's suspension, saying it is the need of the hour. "The meeting with RSS leaders is not acceptable to the LDF. Unless disciplinary action is taken against the police official, the acceptability of the Left government and front among the masses will be questioned," he added. However, the CM told the leaders that an inquiry is now going on. "If we suspend the ADGP, it will give a message that the government has succumbed to the pressure of the opposition," he said. However, both Chacko and Binoy replied that it is not a question of succumbing to the pressure of the opposition. "It is the political position of the LDF. A disciplinary action will only raise the image of the government. It has nothing to do with the opposition," they said.
Chacko also criticized the police action at the Thrissur Pooram. "I was an MP from Thrissur for 14 years. We have a document in the pooram office demarcating the distance where the public should stand. It was prepared by the Central Explosive Controller. Hence, the controlling of the public and misbehaviour of the police against the public was unnecessary. The police officers did not obey the instructions of the minister K Rajan. The police also manhandled the public. Those who are responsible for this should be brought before justice," he demanded.
Viswam also pointed out that it was the high-handedness of the police that had caused disruption of the pooram. The CM said that action would be taken against those who were responsible for the disruption of the pooram programme. The new LDF convener TP Ramakrishnan also dismissed the narrative that EP Jayarajan had been removed from the post of LDF convener for meeting BJP leader Prakash Javadekar. "He was removed from the position due to organisational reasons," he said.
At a press conference, Ramakrishnan said that the meeting between the ADGP and RSS leaders is not the issue. "Why they met is the issue. We cannot say that one should not meet RSS leaders. Removing the ADGP from the post is to be taken by the government. An inquiry is going on. Based on the report, the government will act. The CPM and other front partners have never taken a decision in favour of the RSS," he said.
Meanwhile, Ajithkumar wrote to the state government seeking cancellation of his leave request. He had requested for four-day medical leave, starting from September 14. The request for leave was given before the recent controversies erupted.