Friday 7 October 2011

Seventeen years old firing back fires Congress

N.S.Sajith


Koothuparamb, a small town in Kannur district, in the Northern part of Kerala occupy it’s own place in the recent history of the state. It was marked with the brutal police atrocities on the youth who were engaged in a struggle against the self finance colleges. On 25 November 1995, five activists of Democratic Youth Federation of India were shot dead and many youths were severly wounded. The Police fired the youth who were staging a picketing peacefully. DYFI was planned to hold a protest rally against CMP leader and then Co-operative minister M V Raghavan, who was expelled from CPIM in 1986. He had to inaugurate a co-operative bank in Koothuparamb. They were attacked by the Police with no provocation. The police did not comply with the formalities and sprayed bullets to the heads of the youth. The culprits in this case, including M V Raghavan and senior police officers were acquitted in the case by the Supreme Court.
After 17 years this incident again hits the headlines as the new revelations of the P Ramakrishnan, President of Kannur District Congress Committee broke out. The crux of Ramakrishnan’s statement is that the police firing was ignited by K Sudhakaran, currently a member of Parliament from Kannur Constituency, and betenoir of the Ramakrishnan. Sudhakaran, a fire brand congress leader and a gang leader of congress goons, who involved the murder attempt against CPIM Central Committe member E P Jayarajan. Sudhakaran and M V Raghavan arraged some goons to kill E P Jayarajan, then District Secretary of CPIM Kannur District Committee while he was returning from Chandigarh after the CPIM Party Congress. The murder foiled murder attempt was happened when the train reached Ongole, Andhrapradesh. A case regarding this is pending in Ongole court.
Ramakrishnan’s attack against unearths the involvement of K Sudhakaran in various criminal activities as the the KPCC has already pulled the sword of discipline against DCC president. Ramakrishnan explicitly revealed that Sudhakaran was responsible for the firing incident which decayed the mass base of Congress. He charged that K Sudhakaran compelled M V Raghavan to attend the function in Koothuparamb. If Raghavan did not go to the function, the incident could have avoided. Sudhakaran was keen to produce martyrs and provoke the congress workers to use bombs and guns. He was also tried to defeat congress candidate Mullappalli Ramachandran, previous Loksabha Elections. He is responsible for the defeat of Congress in Kannur in all elections.
These revelations has made tremors in Congress, as the KPCC is going to issue show cause notice to DCC president. Last month Mr. Ramakrishnas denied entry in to the DCC office, and he had to wait out side for four hours in a rainy day. He was pickted by supporters of Sudhakaran. Though Ramakrishnan given written complaint, no action was taken against Sudhakaran.
CPIM State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan demanded a re-probe in the Koothuparamb firing on the basis of Ramakrishnan’s revelations. It is liable to all who believes in Rule of Law are keen to see the incident re-probed. The UDF government is not abide the rule of Law and the Congress leader ship has been protecting K Sudhakaran in all his criminal activities. It is clear that Sudhakaran has responisible for the firing in Koothuparamb, Pinarayi said.
 CPIM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan demanded that a case should be registered against K Sudhakaran.



Monday 3 October 2011

The lesson a teacher learnt

R Krishnakumar's wife flanked by her colleagues.

N.S.Sajith

Fortunately or unfortunately, an incident of a brutal and extremely atrocious attack on a teacher caused to rake up some thoughts regarding the functioning of Management Educational Institutions in the state of Kerala. This incident may have multifarious ramification on the future of opposition UDF as its founder leader a politician turned prisoner too, now enjoying a five star life in a luxurious hospital in Thiruvananthapuram came under the shadow of doubt.
It is none other than former Electricity Minister Mr. R Balakrishnapillai, who was punished by the Hon. Supreme Court for one year rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in Edamalayar graft case. Unprecedented incident of the attack on Mr. R Krishnakumar, a teacher in Ramavilasom Vocational Higher Secondary School in Valalam, Kollam District, which is owned by Mr. Balakrishnapillai, has made a huge uproar inside and outside of the Assembly. The new revelation regarding Pillai’s phone calls on the day of attack also added fuel to the burning issue. The question of how a prisoner who living in a five star hospital in the pretext of treatment, making phone calls even to the Government chief Whip and many goons in his town, also raised a high decibel protest in the state.

This Kerala Congress (B Group) leader was never put in the jail as political prisoner, but a criminal in a corruption case. Mr. R Krishnakumar, who is still fighting for his life in CCU of Thirvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, had fought a long legal battle against the School Management in which Mr. Pillai is the manager for the promotion of his wife, Mrs. Geeta who is working in the same school. The High Court verdict was in favor Mrs. Geeta and she was promoted as the Head Mistress of the School. Teacher who was frequently threatened harassed by Pillai and the persons in the School management was severely tortured in a deserted highway on September 27th night. Un identified miscreants penetrated a sharp edged iron rode through his anus and crushed his genital organs.

When we leave aside the political consequences of the incident, the real face of the School Management will emerge into the minds of every Keralite who boasts of his state’s achievement in the field of Education and Literacy. The management Schools in Kerala indeed has done a lot to the development of Education in the state. But their collective bargaining with the government always creates problems in Kerala. These School Managements have a tainted and ugly record in the history of State; not only in the case of their collective bargaining capacity but their ability topple a popular government which has laid a founding stones to the comprehensive development of the Kerala. It was the government led by legendary Communist leader E.M.S Nambuthirippad, ruled the state in 1957-59 had introduced several measures for the upliftment of the toiling masses. Besides the land reforms, the sea changes were happened the field of Education. The Education department under the command of Prof. Joseph Mundasseri, whipped the erring school managements, mainly belong to Christian and upper caste Hindu organizations like Nair Service Society. That government started to pay the salary of the teachers in Schools of Private Management. Managers were treated the teachers as their slaves till that time. This too led to the consolidation of the right wing forces against the governments subsequently it led to the dismissal of EMS government by the President of India by invoking article 365 of Indian Constitution.
Mr. Pillai, also a long serving leader of Nair Service Society is represent of these management is not willing shed his feudal mindset even after half a century. The only crime Mr. R Krishnakumar has done is he resorted in a legal move for a promotion of his wife. For this the teacher has learnt a lesson.

There are many ways to compare two Fronts

N.S.Sajith

People of Kerala have got many chances to compare the Ruling United Democratic Front and Opposition Left Democratic Front. The change of rule gives them countless opportunity to evaluate these fronts as the ruling front decided to raise the Bus fare, Milk price. The failure of state administration to curtail price rise during festival like Onam and Iid ul Fitr, also fomented the wrath of the people.

These are simply related to the priority, political will and performance of the two ideologies. The recent development regarding a criminal case against the Irrigation Minister P J Joseph is going to testify the morality of these fronts. The future of Josephs minister ship is at the stake as a First Class Magistrate on Saturday ordered a summons to him to appear before the court on October 22nd in connection with a case alleging that the Minister had sent abusive SMS to a Surabhi Das a woman residing in Thodupuzha, in Idukki district.

The court ordered the summons on the basis of the witnesses ‘evidence including that of her husband. Josephs resignation is already sought by the Left Democratic Fronts convener Vaikom Viswan.

The same minister had experience a same circumstance while he was the Minister for Public works Department in the previous LDF Ministry. Josephs party, Kerala Congress (Joseph) was merged with Kerala Congress Mani group prior to the last Assembly elections.

In 2006 Lakshmi Gopakumar, a television personality had lodged a complaint against P J Joseph that he had misbehaved with while they were travelling by a Chennai-Kochi flight on August 3, 2006. Soon after this case registered, as per the direction LDF the then Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan advised the minister to tender resignation. Then the government ordered an enquiry headed by a senior police officer B Sandhya. In this case the district Munsif-Cum-Judicial Magistrate Court at Sriperumbudur has passed an order to acquit Joseph.

The new case against Joseph has multifarious dimensions. Though Mr. Joseph alleged political conspiracy behind the case, he aims the gun against his party leader and Government Chief Whip P C George. P C George formerly headed a splinter group, Kerala Congress (Secular) had merged with Mani group along with Joseph. Joseph believes that George and Mr. Nandakuamar, editor of a notorious vulgar magazine Crime, hatched the conspiracy against him.

Joseph has been charged under section of 511(moral guilt) of the IPC and the section 6of the Information Technology Act. The necessity of the resignation of the minister is the moral question which the case raising. The previous government took sudden action soon after a complaint lodged by a woman. In this case the court itself finds a prima facie case against the minister. Will the UDF leadership react to the question of Morality? People of Kerala are keenly looking for the answer.

What wrong these Tribal women have done?


N.S.Sajith

Wayanad is illustrious for its scenic beauty.  This hilly district in North of the Kerala is also famous for its treasures of spices like pepper and cardamom. The idyllic nature of Wayanad and its nearness to Ooty and Mysore offer tremendous tourist potentialities. The flora and fauna in this District located in the Western Ghats also considered as a rich resource of bio diversity. As this district gives an enchanting and charming beauty of nature, at the same time it gives a painful history of exploitation towards the tribal communities. The Adivasis of this Wayanad has to tell a tremendous history of leading a long bloodshed revolt against the British East India Company. Tribal warriors were at forefront of Revolt led by Pazhassi Raja in the turbulent years of resistance in 18th Century.

The British authorities exploited their resources by bribing the Mooppans (clan leaders) with liquor and tobacco. After Independence this role took over by the Land lords who seized the land of the tribal people. Tribal people were always at the receiving end of exploitation. News came from Wayanad tells a more pathetic story of their sufferings and dismal status. A horrible action by Kerala Police is unheard in any modern society especially like kerala is worrying the Adivasis and the all the keralites having self respect. The bitter experience the Adivasi women met with was nothing but stripping of their cloths in the broad day light. Policemen intentionally removed their Kachcha (a dhoti like cloth) in the pretext of frisking.

Women from Paniya clan have had this bitter experience last week in Kalpetta, the district head quarters. They were about to receive pattas in function attended by Chief Ministers Oommen Chandy and Tribal Development Minister P K Jayalakshmi, who belongs to a tribal community in Wayanad. These innocent Paniya women complained that male police were tried to remove the clothes.
Adivasi Kshema Samithy an organization fighting for the Welfare of the Tribal Communities in Kerala has taken up the issue. AKS leader Sita Balan along with these Paniya women held a press conference in Kalpetta and given detains of happenings. Paniya women rightly came before Cameras of the Visual Media and given a detailed account of what had happened. These women said that many women from their clan did not turn up for the distribution of Pattas due to fear.

Patta distribution function has organized in the back drop of the agitation of AKS in the previous days.  The organization’s main demand was to execute the High Court order to attach 17 acres of Land which was illegally encroached by M V Shreyams Kumar, a UDF legislator from Socialist Janata led by M P Veerendrakumar. AKS and CPIM had jointly organized struggles to pressurize the government to attach the land from Shreyams Kumar. On the day in which Oommen Chandy reached in Wayanad, AKS had organized protest march and hurled the black flag. This was the reason for a thorough frisking.
While reacting to the controversial stripping, Tribal Development minister P K Jayalakshmi apologetically said that this incident should have been avoided. But AKS is firm on its stand for a stringent action against the erroneous police personnel.