The commotion at a recent commemorative meeting for Oommen Chandy in Thiruvananthapuram was orchestrated by a faction within the Congress that is opposed to the former Chief Minister, Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener E.P. Jayarajan has alleged.
He was opening a people’s convention organised by the LDF here on Thursday in protest against the violence in Manipur.
Mr. Jayarajan alleged that their intention was to disrespect Oommen Chandy. “What were the Congress leaders and activists doing at the meeting? The written speech delivered by [Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president] K. Sudhakaran there was inappropriate. Slogans were raised when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke,” he said. Mr. Jayarajan said that no other leader who spoke at the event received such a response. Even then, Mr. Vijayan handled the situation in a matured way, Mr. Jayarajan pointed out.
He justified the police case against the mike operator for the technical glitches that had happened when Mr. Vijayan addressed the audience. Mr. Jayarajan said that any disruption during any event attended by a VIP should be inquired into by the intelligence agencies as per law. “If a similar thing had happened to a Union Minister or even a judge, an inquiry would have been conducted,” the CPI(M) leader claimed. The Chief Minister, showing exemplary sagacity, however, directed the officials not to proceed with the case, he said.
The LDF convener alleged that the violence in Manipur was sponsored by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He claimed that the drug mafia in that State had links with the BJP.
Meanwhile, he told the media later that the liquor policy of the government was to encourage the use of toddy as a nutritious drink. “Freshly tapped toddy is not addictive. Toddy shops should be upgraded in tune with the modern times. It should also be used to boost the tourism sector,” Mr. Jayarajan added.
