UDF Govt and Corporate Media Combine to Target CPI(M

FOR the last three weeks, the print and visual media in Kerala have been on a special ‘news’ mission. They have deputed ‘special’ journalists for coverage. Newspapers are devoting special pages and channels have special slots everyday apart from the lead stories for coverage of this ‘news’. Do not get confused that the media in Kerala has become sensitive on price rise issue or the recent petrol price hike or corruption or the resurgent farmer suicides in the state. You would be mistaken if you assume that this special coverage relates to the recent CAG report on Coal Gate, which leaves far behind the Rs 1.75 lakh 2G spectrum scam. These issues are not at all bothering them. For the mainstream media in Kerala, the tragic killing of former CPI(M) leader T P Chandrasekharan is foremost in their agenda now. They are using this unfortunate incident to wage an all-out attack on CPI(M) and the Left movement in the state. It is conducting a parallel ‘investigation and trial’ in order to incite public opinion against the Party.

Though the CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and Kerala state secretary Pinaryi Vijayan have already emphatically stated that it is not the policy of the CPI(M) to physically eliminate those who have disagreements with it. Vijayan has asserted that the Party has not endeavoured to murder anyone who had left the Party for political-organisational reasons. But the media is bent on taking an active ‘combing operation’ role to paint the CPI(M) workers as ‘accused’ in this case and consequently drive the public conscience against the Party. The police officers, who are notorious for their allegiance to the ruling Congress party, are continuously leaking ‘stories’ about their interrogation of the arrested CPI(M) workers and the media is publishing  the same as ‘confessional statements’.

The pattern is like this. First stories are planted in the media about persons who are connected to CPI(M) as having a hand in the killing. This is to create an ambience for the police actions which invariably follow in the form of arrests and torture of those arrested. So far a series of such arrests have been made. Even third degree torture methods were used by the police on the arrested CPI(M) leaders. CPI(M) Onchiyam area secretary and Non Gazetted Officers Association’s former general secretary C H Asokan and various area committee members are presently under police custody. This was made known by the arrested persons to CPI(M) state secretariat member and former industries minister Elamaram Kareem and CPI(M) MLA K K Lathika when they visited the sub jail in Vadakara.

Kareem said that the torture was similar to that of the victims of Emergency in the 1970s. “Padayamkandi Raveendran, a member of CPI(M) Onchiyam area committee showed us his bruised body. His ears and face were discolored and his fingers were battered due to the torture of the police,” said Kareem. They were even denied medicines. The brutal torture was made by the members of special investigation team to get the confessional statements to augment the script made by the political bosses. Raveendran had also revealed to the CPI(M) leaders that the story cooked up by the police and media about him is utterly malicious. On the day of Raveendran’s arrest, the media flashed that he had pointed out Chandrasekharan to the criminals who killed the latter. Raveendran had informed that he has not given any statement to this effect to the police, Kareem added.

In the meanwhile, C H Asokan, former general secretary of Non Gazetted Officers Association, the largest organisation of government employees in Kerala, has submitted bail application in the state High Court. Asokan, who was in judicial custody for a few days, submitted to the court that an industrialist who wanted to establish a water bottling plant in Vadakara is behind the murder of Chandrasekharan. A strike against the plant led by Chandrasekharan had resulted in personal vendetta. The industrialist has close contacts with the Congress leaders in the state. The arrest of CPI(M) workers is part of a malicious attempt to tarnish the image of CPI(M) in this area, he stated.

MASSIVE

PROTESTS
Accompanying the media witch hunt and police atrocities, there have been many physical attacks on the houses of the CPI(M) workers and Party offices in Onchiyam area. Miscreants from Congress, Muslim League along with Revolutionary Marxist Party workers have unleashed attacks on the CPI(M) workers with police remaining as mere spectators.

CPI(M) Kozhikode district committee organised a massive protest against the sinister attempt to implicate CPI(M) and against the attacks. A huge demonstration was held in front of the Superintendent of Police’s office in Vadakara, where the brutal torture of CPI(M) leaders is happening. Thousands of Party workers participated in the action.

The district committee has also decided to file a writ in the state High Court against the parallel media trial which is nothing but contempt of court. Party district secretary T P Ramkrishnan will file the writ citing the bogus reports on interrogation and leaking of news by the police. According to a verdict of High Court dated December 22, 2010, making news reports out of confessional statements would amount to contempt of court. The police should confine to submit the details of interrogation only in the court. Leaking of the details is punishable according the verdict. 

Even recently, on March 18, 2012, Congress goons brutally murdered 23 year old Aneesh Rajan who was vice president of SFI Idukki district committee. He was killed in Nedungandam, his native place. The Congress workers had unleashed vandalism and attacks against Tamil minority workers during the controversy over Mullaperiyar dam issue. The Tamil workers are activists of the CITU. Several women workers were targeted. Aneesh Rajan was on his way to tea estates to see the workers. The local Congress leaders pounced on him and brutally killed. Neither the police nor the ‘vigilant’ media have shown any interest to book the Congress leaders who perpetrated the dastardly crime.

Arrests, custodial torture and bogus confessional statements

For the last three weeks the print and visual media in Kerala depend on the same story. They depute special journalists’ team to cover the news. News papers giving special pages and channels give special slots everyday apart from the lead story. Do not confuse, the media in Kerala is sensitive on price rise the petrol price hike or corruption or farmers suicide in the state or on the CAG reports on Coal Gate which leaves behind 2G spectrum scam or the land allotment of Indira Gandhi International Air port in New Delhi. These issues are not at all bothering them. For the mainstream media in Kerala, a tragic killing of T P Chandrasekharan is foremost in their agenda to wage an all out attack on CPI (M) and left movement.

Disregarding the denial of CPI (M) on the involvement in the Killing, the media is holding a parallel trial to manipulate the public opinion against the party. Though the CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and State Secretary Pinaryi Vijayan has already stated that it is not the policy of Party to dispose off physically those who have disagreement and party has not endeavored to murder anyone who had left the party for political organizational reasons. But the media taking an active participation in the combing operation to hunt the CPI (M) workers in this case is driving public conscience against the party. The Police officers who are notoriously known for their allegiance to the Congress are continuously leaking the stories on interrogation and the media publishes it as the confessional statements of arrested CPI (M) workers. 

Prior to the arrests, the media announces some names of the persons mostly have the CPI (M) background to create an ambience to the police actions. So far a series of arrests have been made by the police. Those who were arrested by the police were terribly tortured. Even third degree torture measures were carried out by the police. CPI (M) Onchiyam Area Secretary and Non Gazetted officers association’s former General Secretary C H Asokan and various Area Committee members are under police custody. They were even denied medicines. 

A dubious and unholy nexus between Police and right wing media and their nefarious design to malign CPI (M) reached its peak in these days. First, the media predicts some names then police make arrests in the back drop of huge media reports. The same media is expert in maintain a selective amnesia on the attack on the houses of CPI (M) workers and party offices in Onchiyam area. Miscreants from Congerss, Muslim League along with Revolutionary Marxist Party workers are unleashed attack on CPI (M) workers in keeping Policemen as mere spectators. 

CPI (M) district committee had organized massive protests to the Police Superintend’s office in Vadakara, where brutal torture happening. Thousands of Party workers attended the marches. 

District Committee also decided to file a writ in High Court against the parallel media trial which is considered as contempt of court. District Secretary T P Ramkrishnan will file the writ citing the bogus reports on interrogation and leaking of news by the police as contempt. According to a verdict of High court dated December 22, 2010, making reports out of confessional statement is contempt of court. Police should confine to submit the details interrogation only in the court. Leaking of the details is punishable according the verdict.

T P Chandrasekharan/murder/Onchiyam

Conspirators Chuckle Behind 

The Curtain

As the grieve over the tragic murder of expelled CPI (M) leader and the founder of Revolutionary Marxist Party based in Onchiyam in Kozhikode T P Chandrashekharan continues, the vicious campaign to malign CPI (M) is seems to be a predictable  absurd drama.  The timing of the murder, some sudden reactions, pre planned media rhetoric and obviously some dubious silences too proves that something devious and scheming handiwork behind the gruesome murder.

Though the campaign against CPI (M) strengthens, a section of media and political observers in Print and visual media as well as in the cyber space opine that it is unthinkable that the CPI (M) will commit such a mistake in the eve of Neyyattinkara by election where a party legislator contesting as a Congress candidate  after submitting his resignation. It is widely believed that the murder committed by the killers who hired by the Congress bosses in the state to influence the voters. 

Ex Communist Berlin Kunjanandan Nair being greeted by jubilant Kerala  Chief Minister Oommen Chandi, KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala, Indian Union Muslim League Leader P K Kunjalikkutty in Kozhikode Town Hall, where the dead body of T P Chandrashekharan was laid for tributes. This photograph was taken soon after the body was taken to Chandrashekharan's home village.

 

Soon after the murder, CPI (M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the murder of T P Chandrashekharan. CPI (M) Central Committee member and Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan went to Kozhikode and paid tribute to the deceased leader. But the physical attack on CPI (M) workers in Onchiyam area is still continuing. Taking this an opportunity anti CPI (M) forces has ransacked many offices of CPI (M) and houses of party workers.

These incidents draw the memories Hemant Basu, former forward bloc leader and colleague of Netaji Subhas Chandrabose. In the 1970’s Hemant Basu’s murder was created a big hullaballoo in West Bengal. The right wing forces and the mainstream media accused CPI (M) over this murder, but when t the truth unearthed, the Congress activists were put behind the bars. This indictment on CPI (M) caused a nationwide protest against the party.  Exactly same episode repeats in Kerala in the name of T P Chandrashekharan’s death.

As the days passes, the suspicion over the involvement of UDF leaders gradually gets visible. A group of hired criminals, has committed the heinous crime in the night of May 4. A car ambushed on Chandrashekharan who rides a motorbike and chopped him off and more than 50 wounds were found in his body. His face was even defaced by the perpetrators. When the news broke out an army of UDF leaders reached Kozhikode. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had flown to Kozhikode cancelling the Chief Ministers Meeting on NCTC in New Delhi. Next turn was of a series of reaction like a chorus. Every UDF leader reacted in the same way accusing CPI (M) as per a pre planned script. The UDF leaders also accused that the CPI (M) leaders of Kannur worked behind this murder.

The media echoed this and contributed some ‘facts’ to stir the protest. The added that a Rafeeq a notorious criminal under suspicion, hails from Kannur, is a CPI (M) cadre and the Innova car hired by Rafeeq and his team was owned by Naveen Das a party sympathizer. With no delay these campaign back lashed on UDF. The stunning facts about Naveen Das’ family’s relation with Central Minister Vayalar Ravi revealed. The leaders clarified that Rafeeq has no connection with the party.

Recently a revelation of P Jayarajan, CPI (M) Kannur District Secretary made the UDF plank utterly defensive. Jayarajan accused that Government Chief Whip P C George had camped in Kannur and given quotation to the criminals. Jayarajan also reminded that George, who pulled the strings in the horse trade of CPI (M) MLA Selvaraj, had once said that there would be a new bomb is awaiting to blast before Neyyattinkara bypolls.

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.