Fifth Minister: A precursor of demolition

An eleven month long waiting for the fifth minister is over. Now Manjalamkuzhi Ali, of Muslim League took oath along with newly elected legislator Anup Jacob of Kerala Congress (J) took oath as ministers. Ali formerly elected twice as CPIM independent candidate, who joined Muslim League in last year in the fag end of LDF rule, was offered ministerial post during the last Assembly election, but he had to wait till last week. Congress had put League’s demand in the back burner till the bye election in Piravam constituency.

A high sounding controversy erupted during this period on the issue of fifth minister. The sleeping communal lion slowly wakes up these days and the polity of Kerala clearly hears its roaring sound. The ruling United Democratic Front vertically divided upon the communal lines and its leaders were keep on accusing each other for communal appeasement. 

Fifth minister post was offered to Muslim League right from the beginning of UDF rule. But the Congress leaders tactfully evaded the pressure mounted by the Muslim League. When the discussions on this started, suddenly a huge protest started from Hindu organisations like Nair Service Society and Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Sangham, both claim the authority of Nairs and Ezhavas respectively.

KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala and Congress leaders like K Muraleedharan and Electricity Minister Aryadan Muhammed, an ardent critic of Muslim League also expressed their feeling against appeasement of Muslim League. Kerala Congress leaders like K M Mani kept a strategic silence, by keeping an eye of upcoming vacancy for Rajya Sabha Seat.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who is keen to maintain the balance of ever shaky UDF which sustains with the majority of just one seat, flown to Delhi and met Sonia Gandhi. Amid the repeated negations on the possibility of League’s fifth minister, it was announced that, Ali will take oath with Anup Jacob. The swearing ceremony was boycotted by UDF convenor P P Thankachan and Electricity Minister Aryadan Muhammed, since the issue was not discussed in the front.

As the allegation on the communal appeasement got vigourous, in a surprising move Chief Minister Oommen Chandy himself shed his home portfolio and appointed his lieutenant Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who belongs to Nair Community in order to pacify Hindu Communal feeling. But the Nair Service Society reacted that this is another mockery from the part of Oommen Chandy and they are not satisfied with home portfolio.

In another development, Electricity Minister Aryadan Muhammed expressed his willingness to quit on this issue. The wave made by this controversy is going to shake the very base of the UDF. Though every party in the ruling front needs this government should continue in the office, as most of its leaders is facing serious allegations and cases on corruption, they keep on asking for the share of the cake on their own communal lines.

This ugly sharing of seats and loud bargain for the posts on the basis communal feelings is just unheard of in the history of state. The constituents in the ruling Front, explicitly and viciously divided as the representatives of caste and religious forces. In past years of UDF was engaged this kind of sharing but, it was not at all explicit like this time. The main casualty of this controversy is the communal amity of the state. One can easily identify this trend in the UDF rule, as nothing but Ghettoisation.

‘Uthapuram Just a symbol; real fight yet to come’

 N.S.Sajith

                Samuel Raj   (General secretary of Tamilnadu 

        Untouchability Eradication Front)

 The advances in the social life like temple entry for all including dalits were gained by the states like Kerala decades back. Right now the prime agenda of Progressive movements in neighboring state, Tamilnadu is to protect the dalit rights including temple entry. Dalits in Tamilnadu are still considered as the outcasts in a strictly caste based social order. The fight for the dalit rights gets a new momentum with the struggle in Uthapuram. Though the fight in Uthapuram wins partially, it triggered the various similar fights all over the state. Now the dalits are dare to question the social evils prevails the society. 

The streets in the temple premises, where dogs and donkeys stray, and the temple ponds where fishes and water snakes live, are not opened to dalits. Dravidian movements, once waged a war against the caste discrimination and for Dalit rights is now protecting the oppressors. Thus fight nowadays has turned against castiest forces and ruling political class as well.  

“Uthapuram Just a symbol, the real fight yet to come” tells Samuel Raj, the general secretary of Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front. Raj a member of CPIM Virudunagar of district committee, was talking to Peoples Democracy in the sidelines of CPIM state conference held in Nagapattinam in last week. Severe kind of caste atrocities is taking place in Tamilnadu in the broad day light. It is unfortunate to say, the land of Periyar E V Ramaswami Naykar is witnessing such ruthless atrocities, like duel glass system in tea shops, separate ration shops system etc, Samuel Raj adds. 

There are caste based discrimination prevails in thousands of centres in rural tamilnadu. We partially won the battle in Uthapuram a village in Madurai district. Now our goal is to concentrate struggles in other places. Uthapuram ignited all fights. We are able to destroy a main part of the caste wall in Uthapuram and dalits entered in the Muttalamman temple. There attempts to divert the drainage goes through the dalit colony. Our long pending demand for construction a common bus station is being heard by the district authorities. Cases against the dalit activists are withdrawned. But the mindset of the people should be changed. Still dalits are denied the water in public well in Uthapuram area.The long struggles have definitely made some impact in the society.

After the Uthapuram struggle, 18 untouchability walls have crumbled in all over the state. Nandan Nadantha Theru, a street near Chidambaram temple was opened to dalits. But we are facing fierce opposition from upper castes in the districts like Pudukkottai. There are incidents like obstructing dalit panchayat president to hoist the tricolor on Republic day. On international women’s day, the same women will hoist the flag in the presence of CPIM workers, said Samuel Raj.

Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front started functioning in 2007. Now it has became a common platform of activists and organisations fighting for dalit rights. At very outset the front conducted surveys in 8000 centres in the state to find out the intensity of caste based descrimations. Organisations like Viduthalai Siruthai are co operating with the front. Dalit intellectuals, artists, and even civil service officers are now the part of the front. 

The attempts of front for effective implimentation of SC/ST subplan have gained the confidence among the dalit communities. Front has organised state level campaigns and conventions and submitted certain suggestions to the state government. 

ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ കടല്‍ ഞങ്ങളുടെ രചനക്ക് മഷിപ്പാത്രം

                                                                  മേലാണ്‍മൈ പൊന്നുച്ചാമിയും സു വെങ്കടേശനും
അവാര്‍ഡ് തരപ്പെടുത്തുന്നവരെക്കുറിച്ച് ഇവര്‍ക്ക് വേവലാതിയില്ല. അവാഡുകള്‍ക്കുവേണ്ടിയല്ല ഇവര്‍ എഴുതുന്നത്. ജനങ്ങള്‍ക്കൊപ്പമുള്ള പോരാട്ടത്തിനിടയില്‍ വീണുകിട്ടുന്ന അനുഭവങ്ങളും വാക്കുകളും ഇവര്‍ കുറിച്ചിടും. ഉന്നതഅംഗീകാരങ്ങള്‍ ഇവരെ ഭ്രമിപ്പിക്കുന്നില്ല. പോരാട്ടത്തിനുള്ള ഊര്‍ജമാണിവര്‍ക്കത്. ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ കടലുതന്നെയാണ് രചനക്കുള്ള മഷിപ്പാത്രമെന്ന് തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞ  എഴുത്തുകാരെന്ന പേരിലല്ല, രാഷ്ട്രീയ പ്രവര്‍ത്തകരായി അറിയപ്പെടാനിഷ്ടം. 

വിരുദനഗറിലെയും മധുരയിലെയും സിപിഐ എം നേതാക്കളായ മേലാണ്‍മൈയും സു വെങ്കടേശനും തമിഴില്‍ ഏറ്റവുമേറെ വായിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന എഴുത്തുകാര്‍. ഇരുവരും കേന്ദ്രസാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി അവാഡ് ജേതാക്കള്‍. അവാഡിന്റെ അലങ്കാരത്തണലില്‍ വിശ്രമിക്കാനിവര്‍ക്ക് സമയമില്ല. തമിഴകത്തെ സാമൂഹിക അനാചാരങ്ങള്‍ക്കെതിരെ സിപിഐ എം നടത്തുന്ന സന്ധിയില്ലായുദ്ധത്തിലെ മുന്നണിപ്പോരാളികള്‍. ഒപ്പം തമിഴ്നാട്ടിലെ പുരോഗമനാശയക്കാരായ എഴുത്തുകാരുടെയും കലാ സാംസ്കാരിക പ്രവര്‍ത്തകരുടെയും സംഘടന 'മുര്‍പോക്ക് എഴുത്താളര്‍ സംഘത്തിന്റെ ഭാരവാഹികള്‍. രാഷ്ട്രീയപ്രവര്‍ത്തനം തന്നെയാണ് തങ്ങളെ തമിഴകം ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുന്ന എഴുത്തുകാരാക്കിയതെന്ന് സിപിഐ എം സംസ്ഥാന സമ്മേളന പ്രതിനിധികളായ ഇരുവരും പറയുന്നു. 

സിപിഐ എം വിരുദനഗര്‍ ജില്ലാ കമ്മിറ്റി മുന്‍അംഗവും മുര്‍പോക്ക് എഴുത്താളര്‍ സംഘം സംസ്ഥാന വൈസ് പ്രസിഡണ്ടുമായ മേലാണ്‍മൈ പൊന്നുച്ചാമിയുടെ 'മിന്‍സാരപ്പൂ' എന്ന കഥാസമാഹാരത്തിനാണ് 2009ലെ കേന്ദ്രസാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി അവാഡ്. തമിഴില്‍ സമീപകാലത്ത് ഏറ്റവുമധികം വിറ്റഴിഞ്ഞ പുസ്തകങ്ങളിലൊന്ന്. അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര പുരസ്കാരങ്ങള്‍ വേറെയും. 'ഇനി' എന്ന നോവല്‍ കെ എസ് വെങ്കിടാചലം മലയാളത്തിലേക്ക് മൊഴിമാറ്റി. അഞ്ചാംതരം വരെ മാത്രം പഠിച്ച അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ രചനകള്‍ ഇന്ന് തമിഴ്നാട്ടിലെ സര്‍വകലാശാല സിലബസിലെ അവിഭാജ്യഘടകം. 

'കാവല്‍കോട്ടം' എന്ന ചരിത്രാഖ്യായികക്ക് മികച്ച ആദ്യ രചനക്കുന്ന പ്രഥമ സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി പുരസ്കാരം സു വെങ്കടേശനെ തേടിയെത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ തമിഴകത്തിന് അത് അത്ഭുതമായില്ല.  15വര്‍ഷത്തെ ചരിത്രാന്വേഷണത്തിന്റെ സൃഷ്ടിയായ ഈ 1058 പേജുള്ള ഈ ബൃഹദാഖ്യാനം ഇതിനകം പന്തീരായിരം കോപ്പി വിറ്റഴിഞ്ഞു. മധുര നഗരത്തിന്റെ ആറു നൂറ്റാണ്ടു നീണ്ട ചരിത്രമാണതില്‍. സിപിഐ എം മധുര ജില്ലാ സെക്രട്ടറിയേറ്റ് അംഗവും മുര്‍പോക്ക് എഴുത്താളര്‍ സംഘത്തിന്റെ സംസ്ഥാന ജനറല്‍ സെക്രട്ടറിയുമായ വെങ്കടേശന്‍ ഉത്തപുരം മുത്താലമ്മന്‍ കോവിലില്‍ ദളിതര്‍ക്ക് പ്രവേശനം നല്‍കുന്നതിന് സിപിഐ എം നടത്തുന്ന സമരത്തിന്റെ മുന്നണിപ്പോരാളി. 'കാവല്‍കോട്ട'ത്തിനു മുമ്പ് നാലു കവിതാ സമാഹാരങ്ങളും ഒമ്പത് ലേഖനസമാഹാരങ്ങളും പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

It is all about a poster

Posing a new threat to the government, a feud between congress leaders over a poster controversy once again rocks the kerala politics. Tirade between Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and K Sudhakaran MP draws a pathetic picture of politicisation of Police force too.

The controversy started with an incident occurred in Republic Day, still reverberates and the attempts to pacify the warring leaders are remain pretty bleak. A KPCC meeting held on Friday did not find any way out to throw cold water on. Though the fued started between two leaders, it has turned in to an all out factional warfare.

An order made by Anup Kuruvilla John, Distric Police Superintendent to remove a thanks giving poster Kerala Police Association addressed to K Sudharakaran MP for his release of Rs 10 lakhs to construct a swimming pool in armed police battalion camp was the reason behind the mudslinging. The poster erructed near the stadium was removed by the police just before the commencement of Republic Day Parade, in which Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was the Chief Guest. This was enough to provoke K Sudhakaran who claims to be leader of a feeble faction led by Central Minister Vayalar Ravi. Suspension of six police personnel intensified his anger and he openly attacked the distric police chief and indirectly attacked the Chief Minister.

Next turn was Sudharakaran’s rivals in Kannur. Former DCC President P Ramakrishnan and his retinue demanded disciplinary action against K Sudharkaran. They also said that the conflict between MP and Police Chief would not be accepted by the party workers.  Suddenly Sudhakaran loyalists said in a press conference that these leaders are raising issues that should be discussed in party forums and maligning the image of the Chief Minister and the United Democratic Front (UDF) government. They argued that the removal of posters was ill-motivated and an attempt to insult MP in public.

 In the meanwhile the posters carrying the portraits of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy put in the Kannur Collecterate were removed damaged by the Sudhakran loyalists. In many districts Sudhakaran loyalist had organised demonstration against the police chief and Chief Minister. This was occurred when Oommen Chandy questioned the legality of the poster put by Police Association.  Sudhakaran in a press conference warned that the Chief Minister is liable to protect the right of a representative of people. Chief Minister in press conferences repeatedly justified the action of Police Chief Anup Kuruvilla John. Mullappalli Ramachandran Central Minister of State for Home affairs also praised the police chief as one of the most efficient young police officer and given him a clean chit. Replying to this Sudhakaran said that Mullppalli has no political base among the party workers.

Party leaders, including former Ministers K.P. Nooruddin and N. Ramakrishnan; Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) secretary Satheeshan Pacheni; and the former MLA A.D. Musthafa; said at a press conference here on January 31 that the posters in the Collectorate would not have been damaged and removed without the nod of Mr. Sudhakaran. At the same time a threadbare discussions on the polticisation of police force are also being conducted in both visual and print media.

Ghost of Marad riots haunts Muslim League

Marad a coastal village is still a wound scar on the face of Kerala a state which was well known for its communal amity. In 2002 and 2003 this village near the historic port Beypore, witnessed the worst communal riots in the history of the state. 13 people from Hindu and Muslim Communities were massacred in two riots. These riots were took place when A K Anthony was the Chief Minister.

The leadership of two communities was blamed for their role in the riots and at the same time CPI (M)’s objective role in defusing the attempts was hailed. When both communities started separate camps to protect their own members, CPI (M) conducted camp to protect both. Justice Thomas P Joseph Commission’s findings also mentioned many community leaders including Muslim League activists.

But the recent development on Marad investigations shows another blow to the ruling United Democratic Front. The reports in various media about the involvement of Indian Union Muslim League state Secretary M C Mayin Haji have created a huge wave in state politics. The reports were based on the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Crime Branch.

Before this facts hit the head lines, the removal of Crime Brach Superintendent C M Pradeepkumar, was also created a huge controversy. He was leading a Special Investigating Team to probe the larger conspiracy in the planning and execution of the massacre.  This team was constituted 2010 when LDF was in power. This was after CBI refused to investigate the case based on the recommendations of the Thomas P Joseph Commission. LDF government’s attempts to ensure a CBI probe were thwarted by Congress and Muslim League by pressurizing in Central Government.

Pradeep Kumar is posted as the Superintendent of Police, Kerala State Human Rights Commission.

It is became ample clear that the decision to shift C M  Pradeep Kumar by Department of Home affairs was to save the Muslim League leaders from further probe.

Apart from Mayin Haji, Muslim League Beypore Regional Secretary P P Moideen Koya also been named in the FIR framed by Crime Branch and a report regarding this is sent to Crime Branch Head quarters. In 2003 when T K Vinod Kumar, the City Police Commissioner was to register a case against Mayin Haji, the Commissioner was suddenly transferred.

The new developments also make Sanghaparivar forces worry. BJP National Executive member P S Sreedharan Pillai was also interrogated by the investigation team. BJP was also tried to disturb the probe.

After Pillai and son, now the turn of Email Tapping

Ever since the  inception of present democratic Front Government last
May, the head of the government Oommen Chandy may not had a sound
sleep even in a single night. Problem stricken and ever shaky front
causing worry to Chief Minister in every now and then. The perturbed
days and nights of Oommen Chandy will continue. That is the signal the
present day developments bestow on Kerala.

Email tapping of prominent Muslims including Muslim League legislators
and former MP’s has further shaken the foundation of UDF which is now
floating on rough waters due to the feud between  Kerala Congress (B)
leader Balakrishnapillai and Son Ganesh Kumar who serves as Forest
Minister. The clarifications of the Chief Minister on Email tapping is
not seems convincing to the ordinary Muslims. 268 Email accounts were
tapped by the intelligence wing of state police in search of the
terrorist links of the Muslim leaders, writers, activists and media
persons.

The seriousness of the problem has been amplified as the Electricity
Minister and Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed jump to the scene.
Aryadan who always aim a gun against the Muslim League through out his
political career, used this issue to further establish his position.
Aryadan’s reaction was deadly against Oommen Chandy’s posture. When
Oomen Chandy has confessed and told that he is ready to repent if the
tapping proved fault. As Oommen Chandy tries to escape from the
entanglement, his colleague Aryadan said that there is no fault in
tapping the login details of Muslims leaders. In additional to this
Aryadan Mohammed a bete-noire of Muslim league, said that Kerala has
turned as a recruiting agency of terrorists and this kind of measures
has to be taken. Firing salvo on Madhyamam weekly, the official organ
of Jamaat E Islami Kerala unit, Aryadan said government should follow
the decision taken in the last cabinet meeting, so that a case must
register against the weekly.

Musilim League, the largest contingent of ruling front, has not come
with harsh criticism against the email tapping. But Loksabha Member
and Muslim League general secretary E T Mohammed Basheer demanded an
enquiry of police action to label Muslims as terrorists. In a meeting
of Muslim League leaders held in Malappuram he lambasted the
department of Home headed by Chief Minister.

CPIM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition leader V S
Achuthanandan demanded that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy must clarify
the issue of email tapping. Pinarayi said that CM should clarify that
whether he has given permission to unleash the police force to intrude
the privacy of the individuals. No one will obstruct the government in
enquiring the cases related to terrorism. But in the pretext of such
enquiry police has no right to violate the privacy, Pinarayi said.
V S Achuthanandan said that CM must explain whether the government
will subscribe the position of Minister Aryadan Mohammed. There is an
ample contradiction in the statements of Chief Minister and Power
Minister, V S said