By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The result of the Nilambur by-election has thrown up an extremely dangerous trend in Kerala politics, which must cause grave concern among the secular parties.

The victory of the Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukat is being widely ascribed to the solid support it has received — that too openly — from the Jamaat-e-Islami, which believes in establishing a theocratic state.

Facts and figures first. Shoukat defeated Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate M. Swaraj by a margin of 11,077 votes. Trinamool Congress state convener P. V. Anvar, whose exit from the LDF and subsequent resignation necessitated the by-election polled around 20,000 votes. Anvar had contested as an Independent. It goes without saying that the Anvar factor accounted, at least to some extent, for the defeat of the LDF candidate, and contributing to the victory of the UDF candidate. The BJP came a distant fourth, managing to poll only 6,000 odd votes.

Of course, the Nilambur verdict has disappointed the LDF which was hoping to win the seat despite the exit of Anvar from its camp. The Anvar factor would not have any impact. That was the assessment of the LDF camp. The result shows that Anvar proved the spoilsport for CPI(M) candidate Swaraj.

Obviously, the CPI(M) has its task cut out. True, one swallow does not make a summer. That said, the CPI(M) must undertake introspection and initiate damage-control steps right away. A close look at how the fundamentalist forces have managed to make inroads into its vote base, especially in some of its strongholds in the constituency, especially in Nilambur municipality shows that the party has its task cut out. That disturbing development means the CPI(M)-led LDF must bend all its energies into arresting this dangerous trend in Kerala politics. The party’s assessment, articulated by CPI(M) state secretary M. V. Govindan, that the UDF victory is mainly due to the support from the Jamaat, is not wrong.

But it must be followed up with effective measures to regain the loss of votes, caused by the Jamaat backing for the UDF and the Anvar factor, in its strongholds. That task, not an easy one, must be undertaken with missionary zeal by the secular camp led by the CPI(M). The exercise brooks no delay as the LDF has to face the local bodies election by the end of this year and the crucial assembly election in April 2026.

The UDF camp is, understandably, jubilant. They are justified in celebrating the Nilambur victory which has come their way after a long time. But the celebrations must be tempered with the realisation that the win could prove costly for it both politically and electorally in the long run. It may have won the battle. But it would end up losing the war unless it changes its dangerous policy of sucking up to the forces of religious fundamentalism. The Front must stop seeking their support. It is not too late to do so. The time to act is now.

Otherwise, it may manage to win elections. But, in the process, Kerala will suffer irreparable damage. And that is a luxury a State like Kerala, known for its strong secular credentials and pluralist ethos, can afford. But the pronouncements of UDF leaders, including those from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders, do not inspire confidence. Their continued justification of the support from fundamentalist forces shows their proclivity to go in for short-term gains, ignoring the long-term danger in seeking the support of these forces. The IUML leaders would do well to remember the firm and forthright stand taken by their erstwhile chief Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal in the wake of the Babri masjid demolition. His counsel for restraint was a key factor that prevented the eruption of communal violence in the state following the infamous Babri masjid demolition.

The LDF in general and the CPI(M) in particular, should also imbibe the message emanating from Nilambur. It must plunge heart and soul into the battle for strengthening the secular polity and thwart the sinister designs of communal forces. In retrospect, the CPI(M) would seem to have made a tactical error in justifying its tie-up with the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), led by Abdul Nasir Maudhany, suspect in the Coimbatore blast case. If the party had refrained from taking that stand, it would have helped the party to gain the moral ground in the electoral battle. Its failure to do so weakened its blistering attacks against the Jamaat. The correctives must be applied without further loss of time. That way lies the path to regaining lost ground. (IPA Service)

The article Nilambur Bypoll Result Throws Up A Disturbing Trend In Kerala Politics appeared first on Arabian Post.

By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: The release of the Hema Committee report on the problems plaguing the Malayalam film industry has exposed its ugly underbelly. It is a gory tale of sexual exploitation, illegal bans, discrimination, drug and alcohol abuse , wage disparity and in many cases inhuman working conditions.

Details of the report first. The 235-page report, which was released on August 19, five years after it was submitted to the Kerala Government, says that the industry is under the control of some male producers, directors and actors. A prominent actor referred to the cabal as “mafia” as they were powerful to ban anyone who refuses to dance to their tune. The Committee has confirmed the existence of the practice of “casting couch” in the industry.

Unlike in other industries, the report reveals that sexual harassment starts even before a woman starts working as sexual demands are made by very well-known people in exchange for roles in cinema! Some of the women provided video and audio clips and screenshots of WhatsApp messages by way of proof of “casting couch” attempts.  Many women said they found it unsafe to stay alone in the accommodation arranged for them during the shooting. The reason: Drunken men habitually knock on their doors.

Some witnesses recounted attempts at forcible entry by knocking down the doors! A specific case is that of an actor who had to act as the wife of her abuser the very next day of the shocking incident, causing the victim terrible trauma.  Attempts are made to persuade newcomers by some people who create the impression that women have made it to the top through “compromises” and “adjustments”.

Many women who deposed before the committee were scared to reveal the details of their experiences as they feared retaliation and adverse consequences. The committee said it was worried about their safety as well as that of their relatives. Such is the gravity of their experiences that the women failed to summon the courage to disclose the details even to their close relatives.  They also refrained from informing the police as they feared the consequences from powerful forces in the industry. Junior artistes are the most exploited lot in the industry. The 15-member “power group” which ruled the industry warned the producers against casting actors who are not in their good books.  So powerful is this “power group” consisting of super stars, producers and directors that even the members of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), following whose demand the Hema Committee was set up, were banned from cinema!

Lack of toilets and changing rooms, the reports points out, has resulted in urinary infection for many women.  Junior artists are treated worse than slaves. They are forced to work up to 19 to 20 hours. They do not get paid properly with intermediaries devouring the better part of their payments, which are not given n time.

As if all this was not enough, internal complaints committee are powerless as powerful persons threaten them and coerce them into dealing with the complaints in the way they wanted. The Committee recommends that the Government enact an appropriate law and set up a Tribunal to address these issues.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a directive to the Government  to initiate criminal proceedings against those who had committed sexual exploitation and harassment of women  in the film industry.  The Court also asked the Government to submit a copy of the full report of the Committee in a sealed cover. More than 60 pages of the report have not been released as the Committee itself had advised the Government against releasing the full report.   The court will decide if any cognisable offence is disclosed and whether a criminal action is necessary.

The Court said the Government as of now is not in a position to act in the matter as no one has come forward with a complaint. Earlier Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Government would certainly take action if it gets specific complaints. The Court observed that it needs to address the issue of how to protect these vulnerable women and what action can be taken against the perpetrators. The court added that those who had deposed before the Committee wanted to maintain their anonymity. The Government cannot ignore the report. If it fails to act, then the very purpose of constituting the Committee would be defeated, observed the Court.

The Advocate General argued that those who wanted the perpetrators to be prosecuted could approach the police or courts. He also pointed out that nobody has so far approached the Government demanding criminal action.

The petition has been filed by one Navas from Thiruvananthapuram. He sought a direction to the Government to produce the uncensored version of the report. The report, he said, contained tales of sexual exploitation, rape and discrimination faced by woken in the film industry.

The legal position is that if any cognisable offence comes to the notice of the Government or the police, suo motu action can be initiated even without a formal complaint from the victims. The victims are afraid to file complaints as that would expose them to intimidation and retaliatory action by the perpetrators. Action can be taken without revealing the identity of the complainant. Insistence on filing complaints by the victims also goes against the recommendation of the Hema Committee which has assured the victims who complained to it that their names would not be disclosed under any circumstances.

It may be mentioned that in March 2022, the Women in Cinema Collective(WCC) scored a major victory when the Kerala High Court, in response to their plea, ordered the  setting up of an Internal Complaints Committee(ICC) in film sets as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2003. It is a fact that things have improved a bit since the formation of the WCC in 2017 and the submission of the Hema Committee report in 2019. But much more needs to be done.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan has demanded that an all-women team of IPS officers be constituted to investigate the findings of the Hema Committee. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the criminality documented by the Hema panel was a stain and the time for a clean-up was overdue.

The intervention of the High Court has raised expectations of the victims of sexual exploitation. The Government has made it clear that it would act on the directives of the HC. (IPA Service)

The article Hema Panel Report On Malayalam Film Industry: Cleansing Drive Must appeared first on Arabian Post.

By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It would have been a strong contender for the best joke of the year award but for the sheer hypocrisy and shamelessness that animated the claims. The reference is to the brazen Congress attempt to claim credit for the Vizhinjam international transshipment port project. The party, which opposed Kerala’s dream project at every level, has now come up with the astounding claim that the project should be named after former chief minister of Kerala, the late Oommen Chandy!

The boot, actually, is on the other leg. If the project has become a reality, it is due simply to the determination, tenacity and strength of will shown by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who headed the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Governments.

A close look into the history of the project is in order to expose the claim of the Congress for what it is: a humungous sham. It was The Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, then in power at the Centre, which refused permission to Zoom Developers, the firm that offered to implement the project. The defence minister in the Narasimha Rao Government was none other than senior Congress leader from Kerala A K Antony. Military clearance for the project was denied on the ground that the firm had a Chinese connection!

The VS Achuthanandan-led Left Democratic Front Government, in power in Kerala during the period 2006-2011, then called an all-party meeting before retendering the project. A firm called Lanco then offered to take up the project, saying that the Kerala Government won’t have to shell out the funds. The firm, instead, would give the Government Rs 110 crore. The tender was consequently given to the company.

But business rival Zoom then moved the court, allegedly with the backing of a section of Congress leaders in Kerala. Lanco withdrew from the project as it did not want to get entangled in a protracted legal battle.

The LDF Government then tried to implement the project through the landlord model, which meant that the port would be built on Government’s initiative. But the Oommen Chandy Government which assumed power 1n 2011, frustrated the LDF’s efforts and opted to implement the project on PPP model. Although five firms offered to take up the project, it was given to the Adani group.

The Oommen Chandy Government entered into an agreement with the Adani group. But the agreement came in for vehement criticism from all quarters. The crux of the criticism was that the contract was prejudicial to the interests of Kerala and heavily tilted in favour of the Adanis.

The strongest criticism came from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The CAG report said the contract, which was originally for 30 years, was extended by 10 more years in blatant violation of norms and rules. The extension would benefit the Adani group by Rs 30,000 crore!

It was shocking that the Chandy Government went ahead with the project ignoring even the note of caution from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to be mindful of the State’s interests. The AICC was of the firm view that the people should be taken into confidence and the interests of the State should be safeguarded before going ahead with the project. But the Chandy Government, in an unseemly hurry, did not pay any heed to the sage advice of the AICC. The contract, which was signed on August 17, 2017, was termed by the LDF as a sell-out to the Adani group and a loot of the State.

There was opposition from within the Congress in Kerala itself, too. For instance, the then Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and senior Congress leader from the State V M Sudheeran vehemently objected to the terms of the contract, and wanted the issue to be discussed in the KPCC.s But to no avail. Another senior Congress leader V D Satheesan was also strongly critical of the contract. He said the CAG report should be discussed in the Political Affairs Committee, the highest policy-making body of the Congress in the State. Ironically, Satheesan now wants the project to be named after Oommen Chandy!

Now, a look into the details of the contract. As per the contract which was originally for 30 years, Kerala would not get a single paise for 15 years. After 15 years, the profit share of the State would increase by one per cent every year. And, surprisingly, due to reasons which are known only to the Oommen Chandy Government, the contract was extended by 10 more years, which was in flagrant violation of the rules and norms governing the construction of ports. That was not the end of it. If the Adani group fully funded the second and third phases of construction, then the contract could be extended by another 20 years!

The Congress also extended its full support to an agitation demanding that the port project be scrapped. If needed, the Congress would launch a liberation-struggle type agitation demanding the end of the project, crowed KPCC chief K. Sudhakaran. He was referring to the liberation struggle which resulted in the ouster of the first communist government in Kerala headed by EMS Namboodiripad.

Incidentally, IAS officer and Managing Director of the Vizhinjam project Divya S Iyer was the victim of a vicious social media campaign from Congressmen. Her crime: Divya, who incidentally is the wife of former Congress MLA, K S Sabarinathan, was effusive in her praise of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The project, she said, would not have become a reality but for the determination and leadership of Pinarayi. This was anathema to the Congress leadership. Hence the slanderous campaign against Divya.

The LDF government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan, which came into power in 2016, went ahead with the project although it knew that the contract was against the interests of Kerala. The reason? The Government realised that cancellation would have meant giving a hefty compensation to the Adani group. The cancellation would also have led to a protracted legal battle. And while the legal battle was on, the contract could not be given to another company. Withdrawing from the project would also have strengthened the perception that the Left government is against developmental projects. Last but not the least, the Union Government would have handed over the project to Tamil Nadu if Kerala had cancelled the contract with the Adanis. After all, the LDF Government was not against the Vizhinjam project as such. It was only opposing the sell-out to the Adani group and the corruption behind the dubious deal effected by the Oommen Chandy Government.

The second, third and fourth phases of the port were to be completed by 2045. But these phases would be completed by 2028, 17 years ahead of the scheduled deadline. This was announced by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after according a ceremonial reception to the Mothership, San Fernando, which called at the port on July 12. The Chief Minister also said Vizhinjam port is a shining example of the will power of an elected government.

“There were some lobbies, including international and commercial lobbies that worked against the port and tried to prevent the project from becoming a reality. They even received support from here. The agitation spearheaded by a section here stating that the project would not be allowed to be implemented have to be weighed against this background. However, our collective will and dedication were beyond their designs,” he averred.

Vizhinjam’s natural undredged draft, which is not found elsewhere in India, and its close proximity of 10 nautical miles makes it an ideal location for a deepsea port. When completed, Vizhinjam port would handle 80 per cent of the country’s transshipment. It also boasts South Asia’s most advanced container handling technology. Not even Adani’s own highly advanced Mundra port has these technologies. And once the automation and vessel traffic management system is completed, Vizhinjam will be in a class of its own.

What are Kerala’s advantages? These are: Excellent road and rail connectivity; excellent air connectivity; Kerala is the most literate state with abundant skilled and trained manpower; low start-up and operating costs, lower salaries, rentals and power tariffs. (IPA Service)

The article Congress’s Hypocrisy Of The Highest Order In Kerala appeared first on Arabian Post.

By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The massive blaze in Kuwait which claimed the lives of 50 people, including 46 Indians, underlines the paramount need to ensure better living and working conditions for them in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Reports have it that many migrant workers in these countries, exposed to relentless heat and humidity, live in sub-standard conditions. The so-called labour camps lack basic systems such as fire alarm or water sprinklers. The main culprit is lack of compliance with standard norms. In the Kuwait tragedy, for instance, the victims were aware of the fire only when others raised an alarm or when they inhaled the smoke. Safety measures in these labour camps, called bachelor houses which accommodate single men, leave much to be desired.

The migrant workers are at the receiving end as they do not have any bargaining powers to demand better facilities. Such fire accidents are not a rare occurrence. In many cases, the cases go unreported unless there are casualties or serious injuries. What is shocking is the fact that blue-collar workers who have to work in hazardous conditions do not enjoy the benefit of insurance. In most cases, there are no mandatory centralised insurance provisions.

One of the main reasons why such fire tragedies continue to occur is the existence of the contract labour system, known as kafala. Labour laws are anything but friendly to the workers. In many cases these laws support employers and labour contractors, which exacerbate the plight of the migrant workers. The safety of workers is not the top priority of several employers as the former can be easily replaced. True, the choice of residence for Keralites has shifted away from the GCC countries. And according to the Kerala Migration survey, West Asia still remains the main refuge for the people from Kerala. The survey has it that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accounts for the highest number of emigrants with 38.6 per cent while Kuwait accounts for only 5.8 per cent of the Kerala emigrants.

It is true that the dead and injured in these accidents are entitled to compensation. Each victim can receive upto Rs 50 lakh by way of compensation. But it is a time-consuming process, and takes years for the formalities to be completed.

Reports also highlight the problems caused by weak enforcement mechanisms. Indian companies are by and large known to ensure decent standard of living for their workers. The reason is that these companies are under the scanner of the Indian embassy.

It is reassuring to note that the Kuwait Government has announced a compensation of $15,000(roughly 12.5 lakh) to each family of the victims who were killed. As for the Union Government, it has sanctioned Rs two lakh each to the families of Indian nationals. The Kerala Government has also promised to give Rs five lakh financial assistance to the families of victims. Gulf-based businessmen have also pitched in with a sum of Rs 11 lakh.

Kerala Government has urged the Union Government to take up the matter with the Kuwaiti Government on an urgent basis and see that adequate compensation is paid to the victims by the agencies responsible for the tragedy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said speaking after inaugurating the fourth session of the Lok Kerala Sabha in the Assembly.

The LDF Government and the Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF) have criticised the Union Government for denying political clearance to Kerala Health Minister Veena George to visit Kuwait in the wake of the tragedy. The Health Minister, Pinarayi said, would have been able to understand the problems faced by the injured and interact with the Malayali diaspora in Kuwait. Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, who also strongly criticised the denial of clearance, said that coordination would have been better if the Minister was allowed to visit Kuwait.

Expectedly, BJP state president K. Surendran and V. Muralidharan, former minister of state for external affairs, defended the denial of clearance. There was no need for the Kerala Minister to go to Kuwait as the Ministry of External Affairs had successfully completed all the procedures connected with the repatriation of bodies swiftly.

However, Muralidharan was wrong to contend that there was no established system of sending a state minister abroad to coordinate relief during a tragedy. There have been precedents when a state minister was sent abroad in the wake of tragedies. For instance, when the Iraq-Kuwait war broke out in 1989, Kerala Chief minister E K Nayanar sent State minister T K Hamsa. It was a big relief for the victims affected by the war. Neither the then Prime Minister V P Singh nor the then External Affairs Minister I K Gujral prevent Hamsa’s visit. India had also arranged planes to bring the returnees who had sought refuge in a Jordan village. Kerala saw to it that the affected Malayalis returned to the State through special trains arranged by the Kerala Government. (IPA Service)

The article Anatomy Of The Building Fire Tragedy In Kuwait appeared first on Arabian Post.

By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a bruising battle for the mind of Kerala’s voters for 20 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 26. The poll campaign saw no quarters being asked for and none given. But the enthusiasm witnessed in the run-up to polling did not reflect in the voting.

That way, Kerala sprang a surprise by recording a low turnout in the Lok Sabha elections held on Friday , which was seven per cent lower than the 2019 LS elections.

Polling started on a brisk note with voters turning up in large numbers in the initial hours in almost all constituencies except Ponnani and Malappuram. But the enthusiasm waned by afternoon, and polling slowed down in southern and central districts. However, northern districts saw huge turnouts in the evening with many booths flaunting serpentine queues. The poll percentage is likely to go up as polling continued in over 190 booths in northern Kerala even after 10 p.m.

Friday’s turnout is lower than that of 2014(74.02%) and 2019(77.67%) Lok Sabha polls. As many as 12 constituencies, 11 of them in the north, recorded a turnout above 70 %. Out of the southern constituencies, only Alappuzha crossed the 70 per cent mark. Kannur recorded the highest (75.74%) and Pathanamthitta the lowest at (63.35 %).

Slightly more than 1.95 crore of the State’s 2.77 crore strong electorate exercised their franchise on Friday. Female voters accounted for 70.90 %(1.01crore), male voters 69.76%(93.59 crore) and transgender voters 38.96%(143).

The low turnout has not dampened the spirits of Left Democratic Front(LDF) leaders. If anything, they feel it would benefit the LDF. The low turnout shows that the so-called anti-incumbency factor against the LDF Government has not worked at all. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was a picture of confidence. A visibly happy Pinarayi said the LDF would sweep the polls, repeating its 2004 LS poll performance of winning 18 seats. Remember, the turnout that year was low too – only 71.2 per cent.

The CM’s optimism is not an empty boast. It is based on significant straws in the wind and visible signs of a trend in favour of the LDF. Topping the pro-left factors is the LDF’s success in creating the perception that the LDF alone is capable of standing up to the BJP-RSS duo. Here the Chief Minister led from the front campaigning tirelessly against the communal campaign of the saffron camp. In a way, it was Pinarayi who set the agenda for the campaign in this election. He succeeded in exposing the “anti-Kerala stance” of both the Union government and the Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF). He also hit the UDF hard at its weak spot: failure to take a bold stand against the aggressive Union Government. The campaign struck a responsive chord among Kerala’s enlightened voters. His courage in filing a case against the Modi government’s efforts to economically strangle Kerala and the concessions he managed to get from the apex court also added to his stature as an unrelenting fighter against the Hindutva forces and Modi government.

No less significant is the LDF Government’s bold stance against the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA). Kerala was the first state to pass a resolution against CAA. The CM stated that CAA would not be implemented in the State. This came as an immense relief to a worked Muslim community. Muslims were further reassured by his strong criticism of the Prime Minister’s “anti-Muslim fulminations” at a rally in Rajasthan.

All this is in glaring contrast to the pusillanimity of the Congress to take on the BJP-RSS combine. Congress even failed to mention CAA in its manifesto. The shocking stand of the Congress has created grave concern among the Muslim community. The party’s unpardonable “silence” on the implementation of the RSS agenda by the BJP Government has greatly upset the minorities. Congress MPs failure to effectively espouse the causes of Kerala and address significant concerns of the State in Parliament have also angered Kerala’s enlightened voters.

Another significant factor which would have a vital bearing on the poll outcome is the visible swing of the Muslim community which accounts of nearly 30 per cent of the State’s population, towards the LDF. What must worry the Congress camp is the pro-LDF shift in a big slice of the of the EK faction of Samastha, which is the backbone of Indian Union Muslim League(IUML), an ally of the Congress in Kerala. This has happened because of the bold stand taken by the LDF in addressing the concerns of Muslims – something which the Congress has failed to do. The other faction of the Sunni Muslims – the AP faction led by Kanthapuram AP Abubacke Musliyar – has always backed LDF in the past elections. Now, if a big slice of the Samastha voters also turn to the LDF, the Congress-led UDF would suffer a severe setback.

Such a shift is very much on the cards as Samastha is not happy with the stand of a section of IUML which is critical of it. Samastha has said no to a plea by the IUML to issue a joint statement in favour of the UDF. That has widened the rift between the two. The shocking action of IUML workers in burning a copy of “Suprabhatham”, the official mouthpiece of Samastha, which published a pro-LDF ad has further angered the Samastha leadership. The refusal to issue a joint statement is a serious setback to the IUML and Congress. It a clear signal for the Samastha supporters to go ahead and vote for the LDF. And observers of the Kerala election scene say it has actually happened in the election. If that is true, then IUML candidates in Ponnani and Malappuram constituencies are in real danger. The Samastha support to the LDF could extend to other Northern Kerala constituencies like Kasaragod, Kannur, Vadakara and Wayanad.

As if all this isnot enough, the Congress’s refusal to give an additional seat to IUML and its directive not to use the IUML’s green flag at Rahul Gandhi’s rallies is an additional bonus for the LDF. The humiliation of and insult to IUML would certainly reflect in the voting pattern. It could affect the voting even in the safest Congress constituency – Wayanad from where Rahul is seeking re-election.

Last but not the least is the growing perception that Congress MPs are vulnerable to poaching by BJP in the post-poll setting. The Congress has not been able to give a guarantee that this would not happen. This could also have a big impact on the final outcome of the election from Kerala.

No wonder, the CM and the LDF are brimming with confidence. The LDF slogan “Edathundengile India yullu (India will survive only if Left is there) has gone viral among voters, especially among the harried minority community. Kerala’s voters have come to realise that left MPs alone are capable of taking on the communal forces led by the BJP at the state and national level. The Congress is simply incapable of leading the anti-BJP battle.

These favourable factors are the basis of the LDF’s optimism that it would sweep the polls this time, repeating its 2004 performance. Even the Congress is conceding that there is tough fight in as many as 10 to 12 seats. In its desperation, the Congress resorted to vituperative and abusive campaigns against LDF candidates, especially KK Shailaja in Vadakara.

As for the BJP, its dream of opening its account will remain a dream despite the sordid tactics of the saffron camp to divide the people on religious lines. (IPA Service)

The post Low Turn Out Of Voters In Kerala On Friday Favours Left Democratic Front first appeared on Latest India news, analysis and reports on IPA Newspack.

The article Low Turn Out Of Voters In Kerala On Friday Favours Left Democratic Front appeared first on Arabian Post.

By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no change in the Budget script as far as Kerala is concerned. It has been an unredeeming tale of severe neglect from the Union Government, repeated ad nauseum over the years.

For once, both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government and the Congress-led opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) were united in condemning the raw deal meted out to the State.

In his reaction, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Budget has ridden roughshod over Kerala’s demands and interests. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s sixth budget holds little promise for not only the State but also for the country, youth, farmers and women, Pinarayi added.

The interim budget has maintained a deafening silence on one of the State’s main demands – that the Union Government refrain from limiting the borrowing limits of state governments. The Budget has also violated the basic principles of cooperative federalism. It reveals a thinly-disguised attempt to centralize fiscal power.

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V D Satheesan also turned a scathing tongue against the Modi Government for its neglect of the State. The Budget has made no secret of its pro-corporate bias, even as it does little to protect the interests of the poor and downtrodden, Satheesan pointed out. The unkindest cut, he said, is the refusal to curb inflation by reducing fuel prices although crude oil prices have fallen globally.

BJP leaders in the State, however struck a different note. They said the interest free loans to spur essential infrastructure development would benefit Kerala in a big way. Both Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muralidharan and BJP state president K. Surendran said the Budget was visionary.

They are also trumpeting that the Railways’ allocation of Rs 2,744 crore to the State was phenomenal. It was a big amount compared to the Rs 372 crore set apart by the UPI Government during 2009-14. Bu the hollowness of their claim is evident from the fact this was a pittance compared to the Railways’ allocation for other States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. True, two Vande Bharat trains are running in Kerala now. But the detention of other trains to ensure their smooth passage is causing untold hardships to rail passengers in the State. Also, the long-standing demand for a separate zone has not been conceded either.

The Railway Minister’[s announcement on SilverLine is also misleading. He wants to create the impression that Kerala has stopped making a pitch for SilverLine. This is not true. The State Government has been taking all steps to realize the project. But BJP leaders from the State have been taking a blatantly anti-Kerala stand by saying that that they would pull out all stops to prevent the project from becoming a reality!

Similarly, the rubber farmers in the State have been administered a rude shock. The Budget has ignored their long-pending demand to increase the import duty of rubber and the MSP of rubber to at least Rs 250 from the current Rs 175. . No special attention has been given to the State’s farm sector, especially paddy, coconut and spices either. Also, no new establishments like the AIIMS have been announced.

Kerala’s Finance Minister K N Balagopal termed the Budget as a big disappointment and said it was nothing but a ‘copy-paste job’ of past announcements. The Budget, he said, does not contain any constructive measures to address unemployment, increase the income of the people and arrest inflation. Balagopal also blasted the Union Government’s double standards on issues like borrowings. The Union Government, which has been objecting to the borrowings made by Kerala, boasted borrowings of Rs 16,85,494 crore, accounting for 36 per cent of its total receipts of Rs 47,65,768 crore.

As if all this was not enough, Kerala’s long-standing demand that the sharable portion of Goods and Service Tax(GST) be changed from the current 50:50 ratio to 60:40 in favour of the States has also been ignored.

At the end of the day, the BJP has taken all that it takes to further alienate the party from the Kerala voters. On the one hand, the party blames the people of Kerala for not supporting the Union Government. In the same breath, the party and its government at the Centre are doing everything to thwart the State’s development. Unless the BJP changes its Kerala-hostile stance, there is no hope of the party opening its Lok Sabha account from the State. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Central investigation agency, Enforcement Directorate(ED), which has been accused of acting as a political tool in the hands of the Union Government, has been at the receiving end in Kerala besides Bengal.

The ED suffered two setbacks in quick succession causing it accurate embarrassment. The first snub came when former Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac refused to appear before the probe agency for interrogation in the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund (KIIFB) Masala Bond case. It is the second time that Isaac has refused to obey the ED’s summons.

Isaac has declined the summons on the ground that it is nothing but ‘pure harassment’. The Foreign Exchange Management Act(FEMA) case is linked to a probe into the alleged violations in the financial dealings of KIIFB during his tenure as the finance minister in the previous LDF Government. The former minister told reporters that he had asked the ED to withdraw the summons issued to him last week. He had also been asked earlier, on January 12, to appear before the ED and refused to turn up then too.

Isaac, however, offered to appear before the agency if it can point out any specific legal violation. But he said he would not appear before them so that they could question him and find out if any laws were violated. That amounted to self-incrimination and he would not do that, Isaac averred. Moreover, the KIIFB has already submitted all accounts and records to the ED, he added. That being the case, neither the chairman nor the vice-chairman(Isaac is the vice-chairman) need to give any accounts or explanation. That was the crux of Isaac’s argument.

In support of his argument, Isaac also pointed out that even the High Court had observed that there cannot be a “roving expedition.” The summons, he said, was pure harassment. To protect his dignity, he would go to the court if required, Isaac contended.

Isaac has been saying that the ED move is a thinly-disguised attempt at political vindictiveness in view of the proximity of the Lok Sabha elections. The ED move was not confined to Kerala alone, Isaac contended, adding that it was happening across India, especially in states ruled by non-BJP parties.

Meanwhile, the ED has refused to accept Isaac’s contention that he was not solely responsible for the decision taken by KIIFB to issue masala bonds. The agency claimed that Isaac favoured issuing of masala bonds even as the Chief Secretary voiced his misgivings. Isaac defended masala bonds saying that it would benefit for the KIIFB in future.

The second setback came when the Kerala High Court castigated it for the inordinate delay in conducting the probe into the so-called Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank scam. Observing that the agency cannot keep the investigation going on forever, the court directed it to file the case details. The ED must pull up its socks and do the needful fast. It cannot keep all the people under the Damocles Sword, the court observed.

In another significant development, which amounts to a snub to the ED, the Supreme court favoured the setting up of a mechanism to ensure that the central probe agency does not act vindictively. That the ED has been acting as a weapon in the hands of the Union Government to intimidate the BJP’s political opponents has been the stand of several state governments including Kerala. It would be best if the apex court asks the ED to refrain from resorting to probes against non-BJP governments, especially before the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. Launching a probe in the run-up to parliamentary or state assembly elections give the ruling party an undue advantage. It would also put the political rivals of the BJP under a cloud casting aspersions on its credibility and integrity. This has been the refrain of non-BJP states. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The central investigating agency, the enforcement Directorate (ED), which is on a rampage against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government in Kerala, suffered a highly embarrassing double defeat in the Kerala High Court.

In the latest rebuff to the ED, the Kerala High Court stayed the fresh summons issued by the ED to the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in connection with the siphoning off of the deposits in Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank in Thrissur district. The order was passed on a petition filed by Registrar TV Subhash challenging the fresh summons issued by the ED.

As the petition came up for hearing, the ED counsel submitted that it had no intention to proceed with the summons. It may be mentioned that the Court had frowned upon the first summons on the ground that it was not issued in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. After a close look at the present summons, the Court opined that the same would be stayed till the disposal of the writ petition. A larger issue had to be decided in the case, the Court observed.

The new summons wanted the Registrar to show the amount granted out of the deposit credit guarantee scheme and produce all the circulars issued by the Registrar.

The petitioner’s allegation was that it was to discredit the cooperative sector of the state in its entirety that the summons had been issued. The ED could conduct a probe only into a predicate offence, the petitioner claimed. He further argued that the scope and purport of the investigation by the ED should be strictly restricted to the laundering of the proceeds of the predicate offence.

The Court order effectively frustrated the ED’s plan to conduct a roving enquiry into the affairs of the cooperative sector in the State. The LDF Government’s criticism against the ED was that it was being used by the Union Government to further its political agenda of discrediting and destabilizing the only communist government in the country.

In another setback to the ED, which meant a major victory for former Kerala finance Minister Thomas Isaac, the investigating agency was forced to inform the High Court that it was withdrawing the summons issued to him and the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Board (KIIFB) as part of its investigation into the issuance of masala bonds.

Justice Devan Ramachandran allowed the plea filed by Isaac against the summons issued by the ED. The Court also partly allowed the petition filed by the KIIFB officials. Last time, the Court had asked the ED whether it intended to withdraw the summons issued to Isaac. The agency had sought details of the bank accounts of the family members of Isaac.

The Court, however, has not gone into the merits of the ED investigation, including as to whether the probe needs to be continued or not. AQs the summons was to be withdrawn, the Court said there was no proposal to enter into the contentions that the ED’s actions were beyond the jurisdiction under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and other applicable statutes. The petitioners, the court observed, are, however, are free to do so should the situation warranted it in the future.

The Court, however, refused to entertain the plea by the counsel of KIIFB for prohibiting the ED from initiating any probe into the issuance of masala bonds on the ground that that it was not aware whether the investigation was confined only to the issuance of masala bonds.

A close look at the order would reveal that the ED suffered a major defeat. The Court had pulled up the central investigating agency for its overzealousness in conducting the investigation, especially in opposition-ruled States. Isaac’s victory is a morale booster for other leaders facing the ED probe in other opposition-ruled states as well. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government in Kerala has upped the ante against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan by seeking President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention in the crisis involving the Governor and the State government, at the root of which are Khan’s alleged gubernatorial excesses; the Governor is not even sparing varsities and students as he goes about settling scores with the state government.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who dashed off the letter via the good offices of the Prime Minister, accused the Governor of failing to discharge his constitutional obligations and resorting to protocol violations. Vijayan sought the President’s intervention to end the crisis, including  Governor Khan’s recall. And, just  so that nobody throws a spanner, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been kept in the loop.

Among the Governor’s protocol violations was an unannounced visit to the SM Street in Kozhikode. The letter also mentions the Governor stepping out of his vehicle while on the way to the Thiruvananthapuram airport and aggressive response to the Students Federation of India’s protests. Pinarayi alleged that the Governor was wanted to disrupt Kerala’s peaceful atmosphere.

The Government upped the ante against the Governor when the latter’s unusual communiqué saw “the beginning of the collapse of the constitutional machinery” in the State. The proximate provocation for the Governor’s ire was the black flag demonstrations the SFI. The communiqué alleged that the CM was stopping the police from removing the SFI-sponsored banners against the Governor on the Calicut University campus.

The SFI has been protesting against the Governor for trying to stack the Senates of state-funded universities with Sangh Parivar nominees. The LDF Government was also irked by the Governor’s hint that the “dismal financial health” of the state might warrant the imposition of financial emergency in Kerala.

The Governor had gone to the extent of setting a 10-day deadline for the Government to apprise him of the State’s financial health. If the Government failed to do so, he would draw his own conclusion. The “unusual behaviour” of the Governor included throwing a tantrum at the media. They were told to “get lost” by the Governor gone berserk.

In his strong response, the Chief Minister said that although the Governor used bad words against the students, the latter exercised restraint. The student community has refused to walk into the trap set by the Governor, who was trying to ignite a conflict in the State.

It gets clear that the governor’s aim is to seek central intervention in the name of a breakdown in the state’s law and order, when in reality, there is no breakdown of law and order in the state, the Chief Minister said. The fact that he could “freely walk” in the famous SM Street in Kozhikode disproved his claim of a law and order breakdown in Kerala.

The Chief Minister said the Governor was withholding bills passed by the State Assembly and coming in the way of implementing the Government’s people-friendly measures. He signed a few bills out of the eight he was sitting on only after the Supreme Court took him to task.

The Governor also committed contempt of court when he referred a few bills to the President after refusing to sign them for over two years! This showed his contempt for the judiciary. Meanwhile, the SFI has decided to stage a sit-in in front of the Calicut University’s gate, also stage a historic protest in the days to come. The protests would continue until the Governor is removed.

Significantly, the Governor has not reacted to the SFI’s allegation that he is trying to bring RSS influence into the University.  The Governor has also refused to disclose the source from where RSS workers were recruited for nomination to the University Senate. There are grounds to believe that the Governor is hand in glove with the RSS to saffronise education in Kerala. These RSS tactics are unlikely to succeed in Kerala, which has a glorious tradition of upholding secular values in the teeth of hostility from communal forces. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The left movement in the country in general and in Kerala in particular suffered a grievous loss in the passing away of Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary Kanam Rajendran.

Kanam had been admitted to hospital on October 25 with multiple ailments, including a wound on his leg. As the wound remained unhealed due to diabetes, amputation of his left foot became unavoidable. He was fast on the road to recovery. But the unexpected end came following a massive heart attack. He was 73. Kanam, who became known by the village he hailed from, was on a three-month leave from the party on health grounds. The CPI state executive meeting did not name anybody as an interim replacement as he was expected to return to active politics soon. But that was not to be. And he made his exit to the utter shock of one and all.

An ardent advocate of left unity, Kanam had great qualities of head and heart, which endeared him to one and all, transcending party affiliations.

A native of Kottayam, Kanam had many firsts to his credit. Comrade Rajendran became the All India Youth Federation secretary at the young age of 19 in 1969. He made it to the CPI State Council at the age of 20 in 1970 and was elected to the party’s state secretariat at the age of 25.From 2006 to 2014, Kanam remained the AITUC general secretary. In 2015, he was elected as the CPI state secretary. And he was re-elected as the CPI state secretary in 2018 and 2022. Kanam had the rare opportunity of rubbing shoulders with party stalwarts like M N Govindan Nair, TV Thomas, C. Achutha Menon and N E Balaram. In 1970 itself Kanam became the state secretary of the Kerala State Trade Union Council.

His contributions in many capacities in All Indian Trade Union Congress(AITUC) and in many unorganized sectors such as cinema, information technology and new age banks were immense. Film-maker Vinayan has fond memories of Kanam, who extended solid support to him in his fight against vested interests in the film industry. The year was 1970 when Vinayan, then a member of Malayalam Cine Technicians Association(MACTA), strongly opposed the stand adopted by the Film Employees Federation of Kerala(FEFKA) over veteran actor Thilakan’s role in his film. It was a lonely battle which ended in a split in MACTA. His group had little support. It was at that point that Kanam came in support of him. That support changed the fate of what otherwise would have been a lost cause.

Kanam was also elected to the State Assembly twice, in 1982 and 1987 from Vazhoor Assembly constituency in Kottayam district. He, however, lost in 1991 and 1996. Among his notable contributions was a private bill for the welfare of construction workers which ultimately paved the way for the Kerala Building and Other Construction Workers Act.

His tenure as AITUC general secretary saw the formation of unions in the unorganized sector. AITUC formed trade unions in the new-age banks and the IT sector which until then practised hire-and fire policies unquestioned. Needless to say, Kanam’s powerful intervention resulted in many jobs being saved. AITUC also had the distinction of being the first TU to organize street vendors during his tenure as the TU’s chief.

Above all, Kanam Rajendran was an untiring advocate of left unity. One particular instance needs special mention. When the differences between the Students Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Federation(AISF) affiliated to the CPI took an ugly turn in 2019, Kanam intervened, and with support from his CPI(M) counterpart Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, defused the tension. It must be mentioned that Kanam and Kodiyeri differed on many issues. But to their credit, both ensured that the differences never reached the point of no return.

In this context, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hit the nail on the head when he said in his tributes that Kanam was a strong pillar of left unity. His contributions to strengthen the unity of the working class, democratic institutions and secular values were, Pinarayi recalled, invaluable. That his passing away has come at a time when there is need for total unity of secular and democratic forces is nothing but tragic, the C M said.

As far as the CPI is concerned, his exit is an irreparable loss. The void is not easy to fill. Kanam had effectively managed to navigate the party through choppy waters when CK Chandrappan, whom he admired greatly, passed away. When it came to ideological issues, Kanam was an uncompromising leader. He never shied away from calling a spade a spade, and criticized the LDF government on occasions. But the criticism never menaced left unity. At times, Kanam was accused of being too soft on the CPI(M). But he shrugged off the criticism and saw to it that the relations with the CPI(M) remained cordial. That was his signal contribution to the left movement and principled politics. Kerala will take a long time to get over the shock of his death. Lal Salam and a big salute to you, comrade. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nothing seems to be going right for the Congress in Kerala. As if the plethora of problems already plaguing the party were not enough, the Congress is caught in a major controversy over the election of the Youth Congress state president.

The charge against the Youth Congress is that YC activists counterfeited Election Commission of India (ECI) voter ID cards to tilt the electoral field in favour of their faction in the just-concluded online organizational elections.

In a swift action, the Kerala Police have arrested four YC activists. Nearly 7.5 lakh purported YC workers voted in the election which saw Rahul Mamkoottathil belonging to the ‘A’ group emerge as the new State president. The Police have summoned Rahul too for questioning in connection with the electoral ‘fraud’. Several digital devices, including pen drives, mobile phones and laptop computers have been seized from the arrested YC activists. Reports also say that the investigators have managed to find digital evidence pointing to the creation of 1.25 lakh fake ID cards. The police is in close consultation with Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul’s office.

On its part, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has alleged that the suspects were close aides of Rahul. They have demanded that leader of the opposition V D Satheesan should also be brought under the ambit of their investigation.

Meanwhile, Abin Varkey Kodiyattu, who lost to Rahul in the election, has alleged that complains were galore. Reports have it that at least four vice-presidents who hail from Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta districts have approached the YC central leadership against the bogus votes. According to Rahul Krishna, one of the complainants, the central leadership has been flooded with complaints about missing votes and over 2 lakh invalid votes.

Needless to say, the Controversy has created major embarrassment to the Congress leadership both at the state and central levels. The party leadership is angry with the YC for giving the CPI(M) a handle to harass the Congress. The party also appeared to disown the four YC activists who have been taken into custody and later freed on bail. The controversy has also brought into the open the simmering factionalism in the YC. While VD Satheesan backs Rahul Mamkoottathil, former leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala favoured Abin Varkey. Whatever the denouement, the issue has brought shame to the party apart from damaging its credibility. The party’s frequently-repeated allegations of electoral malpractices against the BJP will no longer carry conviction in the wake of the fake ID card issue.

How the party leadership will ride out the political storm remains to be seen. From the look of things, it is not going to be an easy task. The controversy has put the A group in a big soup. The A group leaders are already facing criticism for failing to turn the heat on the LDF Government. Leaders belonging to the rival I group in the Congress are on record that the controversy has come at a time when both the Congress and its youth wings should have been upping the ante against the Pinarayi Government. It is interesting to note that Chandy Oommen, former CM Oommen Chandy’s son, has remained neutral. Embarrassed A group leaders are trying to fend off criticism by putting the blame on DYFI and the BJP.

In the meantime, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala has sent a notice to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) following complaints that bogus electoral ID cards issued by the ECI were used in the recent Youth Congress state organizational elections.

A protracted political as well as legal battle is in the offing in the days to come. If the allegations of fraud are proved in a court of law, the Congress will have to pay a heavy penalty in terms of loss of credibility. And that is a luxury the Congress in Kerala, which is trying its level best to wrest the State from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), cannot afford. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is a double delight for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has successfully blunted the edge of a campaign of calumny against him and his government.

In a major morale-booster to the LDF Government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year, the Lokayukta has given a clean chit to the Chief Minister and 18 members of his previous Cabinet in a case related to the alleged misuse of Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). A full bench of the Lokayukta ruled that there was no evidence of either corruption or nepotism in the Cabinet decisions to sanction Rs 25 lakh to deceased Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Uzhavoor Vijayan, Rs nine lakh assistance to late MLA KK Ramachandran Nair’s relatives and Rs 20-lakh aid to the family of a police official killed in an accident. There was no substantial ground to prove that the decisions were taken due to political considerations. Justice Cyriac Joseph, however, said though the Cabinet was competent to take the decisions, the process left much to be desired.

In their order, Justice Babu Mathew P Joseph said Rule 19 of the Rules of Business of the Government empowers the CM to give permission to consider matters as out of agenda items. On whether the decisions taken by a Cabinet can be subjected to investigation under the Lokayukta Act, Justice Cyriac Joseph said the complaint was maintainable and can be probed. However, the Upa Lokayukta disagreed. Justice Harun Ul Rashid noted that a decision taken by the Council of Ministers, a constitutional body, stands outside the purview of the Act. Justice Babu Mathew P Joseph agreed.

Petitioner RS Sasikumar, who was unhappy about the verdict, signalled his intent to move the High Court against the Lokayukta’s verdict. Sasikumar was on record that he was not surprised by the verdict. “It is a verdict clearly influenced by the Government.”

The Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) termed the verdict as biased, adding that it could lead to a situation wherein the CMDRF funds can be given to anyone the Government likes. Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said the verdict was no surprise as it has come from a person who once called the petitioner a rabid dog.

In another significant development, the Chief Minister seems to have succeeded in getting the Congress MPs to raise, in Parliament, the Union Government’s biased attitude to Kerala on various issues. In an online meeting with MPs from Kerala, the Chief Minister requested them to highlight various issues, especially the financial crisis, weakening the State, during the upcoming Parliament session.

It was decided to raise, in Parliament in the coming winter session , issues pertaining to the removal of revenue subsidy due to the State, cancellation of GST compensation and non-payment of arrears of compensation. The meeting also discussed the urgent need for withdrawing its move to reduce the borrowing limits of the State. Another unanimous decision was to meet the Union ministers concerned to raise the credit limit of Kerala as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission.

The meeting also decided to organize protests against the Union Government’s neglect by bringing together all the States which are facing discrimination. The latest move of the Union Government to introduce a new condition for the distribution of grants approved by the Finance Commission for local bodies was condemned in an unreserved manner.

The two positive developments have come as big relief to the embattled Pinarayi Government. By deciding to raise issues of central neglect of Kerala in Parliament, the UDF has sought to make amends for their earlier refusal even to sign a memorandum detailing Kerala’s problems and to protest against the Union Government’s biased attitude to the State. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tension between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan escalated with the former moving the Supreme court against him for the second time.

The Government has accused the Governor of trying to “defeat the rights of the people” of the State by indefinitely sitting on crucial bills, especially those addressing Post-Covid public health concerns.

“The conduct of the governor in keeping the Bills pending for long and indefinite periods of time is manifestly arbitrary and also violates Article 14(right to equality) of the Constitution. Additionally, it defeats the rights of the people of the State of Kerala under Article 21 (right to life) of the Constitution, by denying them the benefits of welfare legislation enacted by the 461-page special leave petition appeals against the Kerala High Court judgment of November 30 last year, which refused to fix a time limit for the Governor to deal with the Bills presented to him. The state further said that as many as eight bills were currently pending with the Governor. Some of these bills have been held back for over two years. Senior advocate K K Venugopal, who appeared for the state told the SC that the governor remained unfazed even after it had moved the court against him.

The petition said the appeared to be of the view that granting assent or otherwise dealing with the Bills is a matter entrusted to him in his absolute discretion, to decide whenever he p0leases. This is a complete subversion of the Constitution, he pointed out.

It is not as if Kerala is the only state to have approached the apex court. Many other States They have also moved the SC against the Governor for “unreasonably” delaying the passing of the crucial into law.

The Kerala Government’s petition is scheduled to be hear on November 30.

Meanwhile, in a stinging rebuff to the Punjab Governor, Banwarilal Purohit, the SC has ordered that a Governor cannot sit on the Bills passed by a State legislature after casting doubts on the validity of the Assembly session in which the proposed laws were passed with overwhelming majority by the elected representatives of the people. The Punjab Government had complained that the State Governor had held back several crucial Bills on Sikh gurdwaras, the police and the higher education passed in a special sitting of the Budget Session of the Vidhan Sabha on June 19 and 20.

The apex court warned the Punjab Governor by saying that “you are playing with fire”. The court also directed to him to take a decision on the long pending bills presented to him for assent. The Court reminded the Governors that they were not elected representatives of the people. “Real power vests with the elected representatives of the people in a parliamentary democracy. The Governor, an appointee of the President, is a titular head of the State. The Governor also acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers except in areas where the Constitution gives him the discretion. The power to take decisions affecting the Governance of the State or the State or the nation is essentially entrusted to the elected arm of the State.

The apex court severely criticized the Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi as well for inexplicably delaying or even failing to consider and assent to the 12 crucial bills passed by the State legislature. This is impeding the day-to-day governance.

The ‘supreme’ criticism of the conduct of Punjab and TN Governors is a warning to Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan too. The petition against him will be taken up on November 20. In his reaction to the State government’s petition before the SC, Khan said he would go by the letter and spirit of the Constitution! Khan denied any differences with the Kerala Government. But he said the University bills are money bills, which cannot be passed by the Assembly without prior approval of the Governor. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has, once again, lived up to its reputation of being a trail blazer. The State has shown the way to defeat determined attempts to disturb communal harmony, a hallmark of the State.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government lost no time in nipping in the bud the sinister designs of the communal forces to divide the State on religious lines. The Government’s quick action came in the wake of a murderous blast at an evangelical convention at Kalamassery in Ernakulam district. The blast left three persons dead and over 100 injured.

In a clear and strong message to trouble-makers and agents provocateur, the Kerala Police filed a first information report (FIR) under Section 153(wantonly giving provocation with an intent to cause riot) and 153-A(promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion) of the Indian Penal code against Union Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar. In controversial social media posts, the Union Minister had blamed a particular community for the blasts on Sunday. The Police also included Section 120(o)(causing nuisance and violation of public order through any means of communication) of the Kerala Police Act against him. The Minister accused the Kerala Chief Minister of following appeasement politics.

Coming down heavily on Chandrasekhar’s statement, Pinarayi Vijayan said the Minister was spewing communal venom when the State stood together to face the situation after the blast. The people of Kerala, the CM said, did not share the politics of Chandraseklhar The state stands unitedly against communalism, the Chief Minister said. In a strongly-worded statement the CM characterized the Union Minister as a highly venomous and foul-mouthed person.

In a heart-warming development, the Congress-led UDF supported the Government’s efforts to ensure communal amity and thwart the nefarious designs of forces of communalism. The all-party meeting convened in the aftermath of the blast saw the Congress fully backing the Government and making a few suggestions, especially to improve the functioning of the Intelligence department. The meeting called upon the people to unite in isolating attempts to destroy the social unity, cultural heritage and secular values of the State. All the parties assured the CM of their support to the Government’s initiative to maintain peace.

A resolution passed by the all-party meet urged the people to guard against getting caught up in baseless speculation and rumours. “Each one should realize the ill-intention in propagating rumours that are anti-national and anti-people”. The resolution further said the atmosphere of co-existence, brotherhood and peace in Kerala had attracted the attention of the whole world. “However, we know that there are people who cannot tolerate this unique characteristic and who want to destroy this structure altogether. We will ensure that Kerala survives such attempts.” The meeting also declares that any attempt to destroy the co-existence, interdependence and collective survival will be dealt with at any cost,” the resolution stressed.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M)_ state secretary M V Govindan has said in a statement that an attempt was on to divert public attention from Kerala’s solidarity with the Palestinians and demanded a thorough investigation. Significantly, Govindan’s statement attracted appreciation from an unexpected quarter. General Secretary of The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a prominent ally of the Congress in the UDF, P M A Salam lent his support to Govindan. There was no equivalency between Chandrasekhar’s “incendiary statement” that “casts a particular community under an ominous suspicion” straightaway after the blast and Govindan’s observation.

In another development, Kerala Police has booked BJP national secretary and spokesperson Anil K Antony for sharing a post on social media platform in which he allegedly commented on an incident involving burqa-clad women. The case relates to a viral video of some students protesting against a bus for not halting at their college. Anil allegedly shared the post on X with the comment “No bus rides without a burqa in northern Kerala.”

In the meantime, the police launched a massive crackdown on social media users who spread communal hatred following the blasts at Kalamassery The police have registered cases against nearly 25 such users, including a few news portals. They have also identified a total of 89 accounts that posted extremely communal and polarizing comment.

A team from the National Security Guard (NSG) swept the blast site for forensic evidence with the assistance of the National Bomb Data Centre (NBDC). The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is also looking closely at the case and has reportedly interrogated the accused. It remains to be seen whether the NIA will formally take over the case.

In another development, Dominic Martin, who has claimed responsibility for the blast, told the police that he had tried his level best to prevent his family members from attending the Jehovah’s Witnesses convention held on Sunday. He has said that he did it because he felt that the Jehovah’s Witnesses is indulging in anti-national activities despite several warnings to stop these activities. The police said the accused has expressed remorse over his act that led to the death of three persons and left many injured.

At the end of the day, it can be said safely that the Government has once the perception battle. It took quick steps to defuse the tension and defeat attempts to create communal disharmony. The Chief Minister promptly initiated steps to counter the forces of destabilization by arresting even a Union Minister. The Government’s efforts to maintain communal harmony have won all-round appreciation and praise. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is a double whammy for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the so-called ‘Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam’ in Kerala.

The central investigation agency suffered a twin setback when both the Supreme Court and the Kerala High court came down heavily on the ED’s manner of conducting probes.

The HC directed a borrower, who had repaid his loan taken from the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank mortgaging his property, to make a request before the bank for the return of the title deed and execution of the release deed after the closure of the liability. The petitioner, Francis of Mukundapuram, had alleged that many borrowers like him are facing difficulties as the Enforcement Directorate had seized the original title deed in connection with investigations into the so-called scam.

The Kerala government has welcomed the court order. Minister for cooperation and registration V N Vasavan said the court order would benefit many borrowers who are suffering because of the ED’s illegal seizure of the title deeds. Reports say that the ED had taken into custody as many as 162 deeds worth Rs 186 crore in connection with the probe. The people who came to clear their liabilities could not do so as the title deeds were with the ED. Vasavan said the taking away of the title deeds did not serve any purpose. If the ED needed them as part of its probe, they could have taken copies. Its failure to do that was aimed at hampering the functioning of the Karuvannur bank in particular and the whole cooperative sector in general. The biased conduct of the ED proves the charge that the probe is politically motivated, the Minister added.

The favourable order from the court has come as a shot in the arm for the Government. It will further strengthen its resolve to counter the ED. In a significant development, the government and the Opposition have formed a joint panel to counter the ED. A common platform, Cooperative Employees Coordination Cooperative, has been formed by the Congress, the CPI(M), the CPI and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The Committee has decided as part of their future strategy to organize strong protests against the ED’s intervention in the cooperative sector. The contention of the CPI(M) is that the ED is being used by the Union Government to further its political agenda.

Kerala Cooperative Employees Congress (INTUC), Kerala Cooperative Employees Union (CITU), Cooperative Employees Council (AITUC) and Cooperative Employees Organisation are also part of the newly-formed Coordination Committee. The unions allege that in the name of corruption charges, the ED is trying to destabilize and destroy the cooperative sector in the State, which is of immense benefit to lakhs of poor and middle-income group people. The move is also to help private players and multistate cooperative institutions. The ED action has caused grave concern to lakhs of farmers and small scale merchants, who are dependent on cooperative societies. The attempt is also to create an impression that the cooperative sector in the State is not safe for deposits and attract deposits to multi-state cooperative institutions.

The Coordination committee said it would not wink at corruption in the cooperative sector.  But the ED’s aim is to discredit the entire cooperative sector in the State. Out of the 16,225 cooperative societies in the state, corruption was reported only a few, the Committee claimed.

In a swift move to defuse the crisis in the Karuvannur Bank, the State Government has initiated several steps, including immediate mobilization of Rs 50.75 crore and the appointment of  a senior officer from Kerala Bank as chief executive of the Bank.

The Government has also moved the court to recover the title deeds seized by the ED. This is necessary as the Bank cannot accept repayment by borrowers without these deeds. It may be mentioned that the Karuvannur Bank has deposits at Kerala Bank (Rs 12 crore), Consumerfed (Rs 25 lakh) and Irinjalakkuda hospital (Rs 10 lakh) which are being recalled. Besides, cooperative societies in Thrissur will shell out another Rs 20 crore to the Karuvannur bank to tide over the ongoing liquidity crisis.

Meanwhile, the Karuvannur Bank will repay depositors 10 per cent of their fixed deposits that matured on September 30, apart from 10 per cent of the accumulated interest amount. The Bank has so far repaid Rs 73 crore to depositors since the crisis erupted. The rest will be returned in the coming days, according to the Cooperation Minister. The Bank has to recover Rs 501.61 crore, but it has to return Rs 202 crore in fixed deposits. Action will also be taken against those who wilfully defaulted on their loans.  As many as 18 cases have already been registered in various police stations in this regard, the Minister pointed out.

In an equally momentous development, the Supreme Court has strongly criticized the ED for the manner in which it conducts raids. The apex court has asked the ED to stop being vindictive in its conduct, adding that it must act with utmost probity, dispassion and fairness.

The observation was made by a bench of Justices AS Bopanna and PV Sanjay Kumar while disposing of a petition relating to the probe and arrest of M3M directors Basant Bansal and Pankaj Bansal.  The SC also allowed their appeal and overturned a previous order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which refused to quash the arrest orders and associated proceedings against the Bansals in connection with a money laundering investigation. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is heartening news for Kerala’s economy. The dark predictions about an imminent economic collapse made by incorrigible Government-baiters and doubting Thomases have been proved to be what they are: patent falsehoods.

The facts speak for themselves. The data are self-explanatory. The news that makes delightful reading is that Kerala’s tax revenue has recorded a robust growth. The fiscal year 2022-23 shows a remarkable growth rate of 22.11 per cent in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22. The State’s own tax revenue has perked up in a big way. Kerala is second only to Maharashtra (25.6%) and Gujarat (28.4%). These two states have been able to produce better results because they boast strong manufacturing bases. Compared to this, Kerala’s feat is no less impressive despite it being a big consumption state.

The remarkable rise in Kerala’s own tax revenue is being ascribed mainly to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Experts say GST collections are showing a steady improvement. The GST collections grew by 19.44 per cent to Rs 34,641 crore in 2022-23. The State’s own tax revenue has gone up to Rs 77,164.84 crore from Rs 63,191.75 crore posting an increase of nearly 14,000 crore.

The problems plaguing the State’s economy are due primarily to the “faulty fiscal policies” of the Union Government towards the States in general and Kerala in particular. Just to cite an instance, the State’s share of grants in aid from the Centre suffered the highest decline from 25.8 per cent to 20.6 per cent, representing a 5.2 percentage points. In the case of Kerala, the share of central taxes fell from 11.13 per cent to 9.38 per cent.

As for revenue mobilization, the highest growth was witnessed in land revenue because of the increase in rates. Revenue from land transactions saw a 52.95 per cent rise from Rs 470.81 crore to Rs 720.10 crore. Excise duties of the State posted a 41.52 per cent growth to Rs 2,875.95 crore in 2022-23 from Rs 2,032.23 crore. Last year also saw a marked decline in borrowing as well – -47 per cent. This is being attributed to severe curbs on borrowing in Kerala in the name of off-budget borrowing.

Kerala also recorded a big decline in revenue expenditure – -2.63 per cent. The all-India average for revenue expenditure growth was 11.5 per cent. This is an impressive achievement viewed against the highest revenue expenditure growth recorded by states like Andhra Pradesh (26.1 per cent), Punjab (17 per cent), Maharashtra (16.1 per cent) and Odisha (16.1 per cent).

The habitual Kerala critics ended up with egg on their faces because the Fitch Ratings has reversed the outlook on Kerala to “stable” from “negative”, while retaining the ‘BB’ rating for the state’s long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings (IDR). The revised ratings are reflective of the improving trend in the wake of the pandemic. The state’s economic expansion will effectively undo the increased debt burden, leading to steady debt ratios. The remarkable turnaround has come in less than 10 months. It may be mentioned that the rating agency had revised the outlo9ok of the State in October last year to negative from stable while keeping the BB rating.

Welcoming revision from negative to stable, Kerala’s finance minister K N Balagopal asked the opposition parties to fight for the State’s rightful share from the central pool of taxes and stop blaming the LDF Government for the state’s financial problems.

Meanwhile, in an interesting development, economic experts have come up with a novel suggestion to counter the decline in the State’s share from the divisive pool of central taxes. The prescription is this: Kerala should allow the number of migrant workers in the State to be counted as its population in the next census! The best way to do this is to encourage the migrant workers to settle in the State with their families. That way they will be included in the population count. The result will be a larger share from the central government’s divisive pool.

At present, Kerala’s share from the central divisive pool has come down from 3.875 per cent in the 10th Finance Commission to 1.925 per cent in the 15th Finance Commission. The fall in the divisive pool for Kerala is because over 60 per cent of the weightage for such devolution is linked to population. Kerala’s population growth, at present, is less than 1 per cent annually, while north Indian states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are growing at nearly 2 per cent per annum. This results in greater share for them in divisive pool.

A survey conducted in 2013 had estimated Kerala’s migrant population at close to 25 lakh. It could well be anything between 50 and 60 lakh now. It is also estimated that the migrants send nearly 25,000 crore back to their home states annually.

Kerala also prides itself on providing a slew of benefits to migrant workers. It is the first state to enact a social security scheme for them. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An incident of caste discrimination in the most progressive state in the country! Unbelievable? But it is true. The execrable act occurred in Kerala, “God’s Own Country’, in January this year.

The horrendous details of the abomination first. The shocking incident took place at a lamp-lighting ceremony in Payyannur Nambiatrakovval Shiva temple on January 26 this year. The incident came to light eight months after it occurred only when Kerala’s Devaswom Minister K. Radhakrishnan revealed it on September 18.

Mr. Radhakrishnan, a senior leader of the CPI(M), said the chief priest, after lighting the map place it on the floor instead of directly handing it to him. The Minister who felt slighted gave vent to his strong feelings and gave the temple officials and the priest a piece of his mind at the temple itself. He also refused to light the lamp. The soft-spoken Radhakrishnan said he did not want to create a controversy, but he responded to the incident to bring about a change in the caste system prevailing in the society. It is a blot on the society. The people’s mindset has not changed despite the nation’s achievements like the Chandrayaan, he pointed out. The question, however, is: why he took eight months to talk about the incident? It was typical of the man, who detests controversies and avoids triggering a row.

As expected, the incident evoked strong condemnation cutting across party lines. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the incident shocked him. The government viewed the matter seriously. It is an insult to Kerala’s civic society, he opined. The Minister in the meantime has met the CM and briefed him about the incident.

Leader of the opposition V D Satheesan identified himself with the sentiments expressed by the Chief Minister. He said Kerala’s conscience has been shocked by the incident. Satheesan also called for speedy prosecution of the perpetrators of the insult. Education Minister V Shivankutty and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) also joined the chorus of criticism.

Meanwhile, the tantric of the temple has come up with a far from convincing explanation of the shocking act. In his initial reaction, the tantric said he was in the dark about the incident, adding that he came to know about it only from the media after the minister made it public.

However, the tantric’s contention that it should not be construed as an act of caste discrimination is, to say the least, shocking. His reasoning: the whole incident might have happened because of the inexperience of the chief priest! He however, admitted that the priest could have handed it to the minister as no custom prevented him from doing that. But in the same breath he said nobody should point an accusing finger at him! Queer logic, indeed. It is also tantamount to defending the indefensible. He should have refrained from defending the priest. It would have been better if he had sought a probe into the serious matter and waited for its findings.

In direct contrast has been the reaction of the Sivagiri Mutt chief Swami Sathchidananda. The revered Swami demanded immediate dismissal of temple priest. Sathchindananda, who is the president of the Sree Narayana Dharmom Sangham Trust, was caustic in his condemnation. What the Minister had to undergo was an act of untouchability pure and simple, he said. It is sad and shocking to note that untouchability still prevailed in the State. “This is a disgrace to the State that gave birth to Sree Narayana Guru.” The Swami said that the minister should have raised a protest the same day itself instead of waiting for over seven months. He also wanted the State Government to take a tough stand on the issue.

Practising untouchability is a crime punishable under the law against the evil act. The Chief Minister has promised to take action after talking to the Minister. The sooner the better. For a progressive state like Kerala cannot afford the luxury of allowing such incidents to go unchallenged. Swift punishment must visit the perpetrators of this crime against humanity. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THRUVANANTHAPURAM: Puthuppally by-election has not, sprung any surprises. Congress candidate Chandy Oommen won the by-election, necessitated by the death of his father and former chief minister Oommen Chandy with a big majority.

The Congress won the battle riding the crest of a tidal wave of sympathy for the departed leader. The Oommen Chandy factor swept aside all the impediments on the road to poll victory. It was, by all means, an impressive victory. Chandy Oommen polled 80,144 votes (61.17 per cent) as against CPI(M) candidate Jaick C Thomas’s 42, 425(32.38 per cent) votes.

The victory is no surprise, though. Puthuppally has remained a Congress citadel for the last 53 years. Wonder it would have been if the CPI(M) had scored an upset victory. That the CPI(M) candidate, managed to retain the political vote base of the party in the bargain, in spite of the massive sympathy wave, is a positive takeaway for the CPI(M) and the Left Democratic Front. The sympathy wave subsumed all other campaign issues, including the developmental agenda, which the CPI(M) focused on, did not sway the Puthuppally voters who are still luxuriating in the memory of Oommen Chandy’s performance and charisma.

But then, the Congress would be making a big mistake that Puthuppally would repeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll battle, which is an altogether different ball game. As the saying goes, one swallow does not make a summer. The Congress cannot afford the luxury of being lulled into a false sense of complacency and rest on the Puthuppally laurels. The task is cut out for the party. The Congress organization remains weak and disjointed. And unless the party and the United Democratic Front (UDF) it heads, strengthens the organizational machinery, winning the parliamentary election won’t be east at all.

True, Puthuppally saw a united Congress launching a well-planned campaign. For once, group rivalries receded to the background. And factional leaders pulled their weight, sinking their differences. But the question is: will the unity endure in the post-Puthuppally scenario? Past record is anything but impressive. That all is not well in the Congress in Kerala is an open secret. Senior leader Ramesh Chennithala is an unhappy man. He is upset over being denied a berth in the Congress Working Committee (CWC). So is another senior leader K Muralidharan, who has ruled out contesting the LS polls.

It also remains to be seen how the Puthuppally winner will be accommodated in the State Congress set-up. Will he get the same enthusiastic response which his father evoked during his lifetime. Or will he be sidelined once the Puthuppally victory euphoria evaporates/ These are questions which do not have an easy answer.

The poll result holds lessons for the CPI(M), too. The party will have to go in for serious introspection. As Politburo member M A Baby said the party’s failure to attract additional voters must be examined in depth. A defeat is a defeat, he said, adding that it would not do to attribute it to the ‘transfer’ of BJP votes to the Congress alone as a few CPI(M) leaders are doing. That the CPI(M) candidate led only in one out of the 182 booths in Puthuppally is a serious matter. The party will have to identify the reasons why it fell behind even in the six – under its control – out of eight panchayats in the constituency. Correctives must be applied immediately as the LS polls are only months away.

The biggest loser in the by-election is the BJP. The result has come as a rude jolt to the party. Adding insult to injury is the precipitous dip in its vote share from 11, 695 votes in the 2021 assembly elections to 6,554 votes in this by-election. The biggest embarrassment: the party candidate lost his deposit despite a high-voltage campaign launched by top BJP leaders not only in the state but also at the central level. The lessons are clear: the BJP will have to drastically change its strategy if it wants to put up even a semblance of fight in the parliamentary polls. The BJP state chief trying to blame it all on the sympathy factor and the so-called anti-incumbency wave was a pathetic sight. Puthuppally has dealt a devastating body blow to the BJP’s hopes of putting up a good show in the Lok Sabha polls. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: The stage is set for a prestigious battle in the by-election to be held in Puthuppally Assembly constituency in Kottayam district of Kerala. The by-election has been necessitated by the death of incumbent MLA and former chief minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy.  Though almost three years of the current Assembly are remaining, there is speculation that the by-election in Puthuppally is likely to be held either with the Lok Sabha elections In 2024 or ahead of it.

Although the Congress High Command has not decided the party candidate for the by-election, a family member of the Oommen Chandy family will, in all probability, be fielded. Most probably, it will be Oommen Chandy’s son, Chandy Oommen. The family has scotched speculation that Chandy’s daughter Achu Oommen, who was an active worker of the Kerala Students Union(KSU) many years ago,  could also throw her hat in the ring. Achu herself is on record that she prefers to remain as the daughter of Oommen Chandyh. “After our father, Chandy Oommen is the only politician from the family,” she said. Other members of the family have also fully backed the candidature of Chandy Oommen. Also, Chandy Oommen, who is presently chairman of the National Outreach Cell of the Youth Congress, is close to both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He has excellent equations with other national leaders of the Congress, like KC Venugopal, too.

Obviously, the Congress believes that a massive sympathy wave would tilt the scales decisively in the Congress’s favour. The party feels that the result of the Thrikkakara by-election, held following the death of Congress MLA P T Thomas, would be repeated in Puthuppally.   It may be mentioned that Congress scored a big victory in Thrikkakara by fielding Uma Thomas, wife of PT Thomas. Uma had managed to secure 54 per cent of the votes polled in that by-election riding the crest of a sympathy wave.

The stakes, needless to say, are high for the Congress. Puthuppally, which Oommen Chandy nursed for 53 years, has always been a Congress stronghold. A loss there would be a disaster for the Congress.  True, the constituency is awash with a sympathy wave. Therefore, logically, it should be a cakewalk for the Congress under the circumstances. But, in politics, two and two do not always add up to four.

But there are indications that a victory is not a foregone conclusion for the Congress. It would be anything but a cakewalk, given the ground reality.  In the last Assembly election, CPI(M) candidate  Jake C. Thomas put up a tough fight by managing to reduce OommenChandy’s margin to a mere 9000 odd votes, unlike his past victories when his majority  ranged between 35,000 and 40,000 votes.

The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front(LDF) is determined to wrest the seat from the Congress this time around. And the CPI(M)  can be expected to pull out all the stops to achieve that objective. Another factor favouring the CPI(M) is that out of the eight panchayats in the Puthuppally constituency, six are controlled by the LDF.  This is one factor causing some concern to the Congress. But the party hopes the sympathy factor would see the party candidate through. Incidentally, Chandy Oommen and Jake Thomas belong to the opposing Orthodox and Jacobite factions respectively.

The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) has also decided to field its own candidate. Though a minor player in Puthuppally, the BJP had polled 12 per cent of the total votes polled in the 2021 Kerala Assembly election. Will the party play the spoilsport for either of the fronts? That is the big question agitating the minds of Congress voters.

The Congress, it goes without saying, would sorely miss Oommen Chandy, who had strong bonds with the church, its leaders.. His death would definitely add to the problems of the Congress, which is struggling to keep its Christian vote base intact. With Oommen Chandy’s exit, the Congress does not have leaders of his stature who could endear themselves to the church.

A big slice of the Christian vote went to the CP{I(M) in the last assembly elections following the death of Kerala Congress leader K M  Mani and the subsequent decision of his party, Kerala Congress(M), to join the LDF camp.  Another section within the Congress has gravitated towards the BJP as well. But those Christian voters seem to be having a rethink in the wake of the inhuman attacks against Christians and their religious institutions in Manipur. In view of this grim backdrop, it would be an uphill task for the Congress to regain its standing among the Christian voters.(IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Government’s failure to control the riots raging in Manipur and the move to bring in a uniform civil code in the country have evoked strong protests from the opposition parties not only in Kerala but also across the nation.

At one stroke, the Manipur fiasco has caused a severe setback to the BJP’s much-hyped Christian outreach programme in Kerala. Ironically, the Archbishop of Thalassery Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church, Mar Joseph Pamplany has openly voiced his displeasure on the Prime Minister’s silence on Manipur. Pamplany had offered to help BJP to firm up the party’s foothold in Kerala if it ensured a better price for rubber. He criticized the Union Government for its inability to effectively handle the riots ravaging Manipur. Pamplany said during his US visit, the PM had said that there was no discrimination against the minorities in India.

The grim reality is that Christians are being hunted down selectively, Pamplany said, adding that more than 300 churches have been destroyed in Manipur.  Referring to the UCC issue, Pamplany said Parliament should discuss the issue before it being implemented. The Government, he said, should talk to all stakeholders and take them into confidence. The concerns of and apprehensions of the Muslim community should also be addressed, he added.

Meanwhile, Modi’s UCC pitch has further strengthened the opposition unity move across the country. In Kerala, The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the most important ally of the Congress in the United Democratic Front (UDF), has fired the first salvo by signalling its intent to oppose its implementation legally and politically. IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is raising the UCC issue because the BJP-led Union Government does not have any achievements to influence the voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister, Kunhalikutty says, wants to divert the attention of the people from his Government’s failures by raising the UCC issue.

The IUML thinks that the spectacular Congress victory in the Karnataka Assembly election seems to have shaken the confidence of the Prime Minister and the BJP. The usual tactics of religious polarization failed to work in Karnataka. The formation of a united front by the opposition parties would also seem to have unnerved the BJP. Hence PM’s attempt to deliver the UCC spiel. But the tactic won’t succeed in securing victory in the upcoming assembly elections in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The coming days are likely to witness a combined opposition movement against the UCC.

BJP leaders in Kerala, have, however, sought to allay the apprehensions of the minorities. The Uniform Civil Code is not against any particular community, claimed Union Minister and senior BJP leader from Kerala, V. Muralidharan.  Since the courts have also ruled in favour of a uniform civil code, the Congress and the CPI(M) should refrain from misleading the Muslim community, he said. . The minister said that when Muthalaq was abolished, attempts were made to mislead the Muslim community. However, the decision benefited thousands of Muslim women. Moreover, thousands of women became beneficiaries of the Centre’s decision.

The Union Government’s decision to implement the Uniform Civil Code has angered the neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu as well. According to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, the Prime Minister has made a strong pitch for UCC to whip up communalism and win the parliamentary polls. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Opposition parties in the State upping the ante and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government launching a counter-offensive, the state is set for a protracted political slug-fest.

Political mercury soared when the Government announced a crime branch probe against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, K. Sudhakaran, who is the second accused in a cheating case involving Monsoon Mavunkal, alleged fake antique dealer and a child-abuse convict.

Sudhakaran has, however, accused the government of launching a conspiracy to turn the child abuse case victim against him. The court records revealed no case against him, Sudhakaran said, adding that this has been confirmed by the Crime Branch.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Sudhakaran, and has directed him to appear before the Crime Branch on June 23. Justice AA Ziyad Rahman has also ruled that in the event of his arrest, Sudhakaran should be released on the execution of a bond of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties of the same amount. The KPCC chief has also been asked to cooperate with the investigation and refrain from attempting to intimidate or influence the witnesses. The court order, passed on June 21, would remain in effect for two weeks. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 30.

The Congress upped the ante by deciding to hold protests in all the 140 assembly constituencies against what the party described as the Government’s “vendetta politics”. Leader of the opposition V D Satheesan, who is also facing a crime branch probe, accused CPI(M) supporters in the Police Department of acting against the KPCC chief. Satheesan said the CPI(M)’s ‘flunkies” in the Police department spitefully implicated Sudhakaran in Monson’s financial dealings.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan made a sensational statement that Sudhakaran was present in Monson’s house when the child was abused. Govindan based his statement on a report carried by party newspaper “Deshabhimani”. Sudhakaran, in a retaliatory move, threatened to file a defamation case against Govindan.

The Opposition parties have also tried to push the LDF on the defensive by making allegations of academic fraud and political nepotism against the Students Federation of India(SFI), CPI(M)’s student wing. The CPI(M), however, countered the allegation by having former SFI leader K Vidya, who has been accused of having submitted a fabricated experience certificate to secure employment as a guest lecturer in a government college in Palakkadd, arrested. The CPI(M) also expelled Nikhil Thomas, an SFI leader accused of submitting a phoney degree certificate for gaining admission to a post-graduate course in MSM College , Kayamkulam.

The embattled CPI(M) and the Government scored a significant victory when the Kerala High Court overturned a single judge order that directed the Kannur University to reassess the credentials of Priya Varghese, wife of Chief Minister’s private secretary, KK Ragesh, to be appointed as an associate professor. The bench also invalidated the single judge’s conclusion that Priya lacked the teaching experience required to be included in the rank list for the Malayalam associate professor’s post in the Kannur University. Now that the judgment has come, the Varsity can proceed with the provisional rank list where Priya figured in the top spot.

The court order also administered a severe snub to the anti-left media for causing harm to Priya’s dignity and reputation by making unjustified comments. The HC hoped that the media would adopt a code of responsible journalistic conduct to report news. The Division Bench comprising Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Muhammed Nias CP made this observation while taking note of the media attention Priya’s case received while it was being adjudicated before the single judge. The court also directed the print and electronic media to exercise restraint by deferring discussions on matters pending before the court so that the rule of law can be better served by avoiding obstruction of justice.

Buoyed by the court verdict, CPI(M)’s central committee member A K Balan said the CPI(M) would not tolerate members who turned malefactors. Such people would have no place in the party, Balan said, showering praise on the SFI for promptly expelling the wrong-doers from its ranks. Balan also voiced the Government’s determination to eradicate the fake education certificate menace. Balan also lashed out at the media for ignoring the elephant in the room and chasing “squirrels.” To illustrate the point, he said the media has nothing to say about the extremely serious situation in Manipur which is burning.

In the ultimate analysis, it would seem that the efforts of the Congress to avert attention from the acute factionalism plaguing the party have failed. The Congress, it may be mentioned, had hogged the headlines for the internecine groupism over the party’s reorganization. The recrudescence of factionalism has considerably weakened the party’s drive to ensure unity in the party. This bodes ill for the party and the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state, which are desperate to stage a comeback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Opposition parties in the State upping the ante and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government launching a counter-offensive, the state is set for a protracted political slug-fest.

Political mercury soared when the Government announced a crime branch probe against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, K. Sudhakaran, who is the second accused in a cheating case involving Monsoon Mavunkal, alleged fake antique dealer and a child-abuse convict.

Sudhakaran has, however, accused the government of launching a conspiracy to turn the child abuse case victim against him. The court records revealed no case against him, Sudhakaran said, adding that this has been confirmed by the Crime Branch.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Sudhakaran, and has directed him to appear before the Crime Branch on June 23. Justice AA Ziyad Rahman has also ruled that in the event of his arrest, Sudhakaran should be released on the execution of a bond of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties of the same amount. The KPCC chief has also been asked to cooperate with the investigation and refrain from attempting to intimidate or influence the witnesses. The court order, passed on June 21, would remain in effect for two weeks. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 30.

The Congress upped the ante by deciding to hold protests in all the 140 assembly constituencies against what the party described as the Government’s “vendetta politics”. Leader of the opposition V D Satheesan, who is also facing a crime branch probe, accused CPI(M) supporters in the Police Department of acting against the KPCC chief. Satheesan said the CPI(M)’s ‘flunkies” in the Police department spitefully implicated Sudhakaran in Monson’s financial dealings.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan made a sensational statement that Sudhakaran was present in Monson’s house when the child was abused. Govindan based his statement on a report carried by party newspaper “Deshabhimani”. Sudhakaran, in a retaliatory move, threatened to file a defamation case against Govindan.

The Opposition parties have also tried to push the LDF on the defensive by making allegations of academic fraud and political nepotism against the Students Federation of India(SFI), CPI(M)’s student wing. The CPI(M), however, countered the allegation by having former SFI leader K Vidya, who has been accused of having submitted a fabricated experience certificate to secure employment as a guest lecturer in a government college in Palakkadd, arrested. The CPI(M) also expelled Nikhil Thomas, an SFI leader accused of submitting a phoney degree certificate for gaining admission to a post-graduate course in MSM College , Kayamkulam.

The embattled CPI(M) and the Government scored a significant victory when the Kerala High Court overturned a single judge order that directed the Kannur University to reassess the credentials of Priya Varghese, wife of Chief Minister’s private secretary, KK Ragesh, to be appointed as an associate professor. The bench also invalidated the single judge’s conclusion that Priya lacked the teaching experience required to be included in the rank list for the Malayalam associate professor’s post in the Kannur University. Now that the judgment has come, the Varsity can proceed with the provisional rank list where Priya figured in the top spot.

The court order also administered a severe snub to the anti-left media for causing harm to Priya’s dignity and reputation by making unjustified comments. The HC hoped that the media would adopt a code of responsible journalistic conduct to report news. The Division Bench comprising Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Muhammed Nias CP made this observation while taking note of the media attention Priya’s case received while it was being adjudicated before the single judge. The court also directed the print and electronic media to exercise restraint by deferring discussions on matters pending before the court so that the rule of law can be better served by avoiding obstruction of justice.

Buoyed by the court verdict, CPI(M)’s central committee member A K Balan said the CPI(M) would not tolerate members who turned malefactors. Such people would have no place in the party, Balan said, showering praise on the SFI for promptly expelling the wrong-doers from its ranks. Balan also voiced the Government’s determination to eradicate the fake education certificate menace. Balan also lashed out at the media for ignoring the elephant in the room and chasing “squirrels.” To illustrate the point, he said the media has nothing to say about the extremely serious situation in Manipur which is burning.

In the ultimate analysis, it would seem that the efforts of the Congress to avert attention from the acute factionalism plaguing the party have failed. The Congress, it may be mentioned, had hogged the headlines for the internecine groupism over the party’s reorganization. The recrudescence of factionalism has considerably weakened the party’s drive to ensure unity in the party. This bodes ill for the party and the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state, which are desperate to stage a comeback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This is the real Kerala story. The reference is to the commissioning, on June 5, of the first phase of the prestigious Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The project is aimed at providing free internet access to 20 lakh  Below Poverty Line(BPL) families, connecting 30,000 government institutions and providing net connection at nominal rate to the public. The Kerala Government’s flagship project is being hailed as a potent symbol of the alternative path pursued by the State. This is the real Kerala Story, thundered a visibly happy Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said India boasts the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world.  The last 10 years saw 700 internet shutdown in the country. It is against this murky backdrop that Kerala is ensuring internet to all, the CM said, adding that the K-FON  has become another example of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government’s and Kerala’s alternative policies.  Universal talent access is essential to keep pace with the changing world. Through K-FON, the State is being connected with the entire world, Pinarayi pointed out.

The project is also an alternative to the corporate forces operating in the telecom sector, the Chief Minister claimed. The project has been launched with the express objective of freeing people from the exploitation of private sector cable networks and mobile service providers.  The services are available at rates lower than that of other service providers.  The services will also ensure high speed and the same quality throughout Kerala.

The Chief Minister also took the opportunity to lambast the opposition parties. He accused the opposition leader V D Satheesan of making baseless allegations of  corruption, including the cable quality, in the project.  The Bharat Electronics Limited, a public sector company, is in charge of these activities, the CM averred.

While Finance Minister K N Balagopal launched the K-FON commercial website www.kfon.in, excise minister M B Rajesh launched the “Ente K-FON” mobile application. According to K-FON managing director Santosh Babu, the network would ensure 99.9 per cent uptime, with a promise to address faults within four hours.

Meanwhile, as many as 7,000 families have got internet connections through K-FON till now, ahead of its official launch.  In the first phase, a total of 14,000 households, with 100 houses in each of the 140 Assembly constituencies will get connections.  The K-FON’s wide network has reached remote locations, including hamlets in the hill district of Wayanad and elsewhere, which had so far remained out of the information superhighway.

Incidentally, Kerala became the first State in the country to declare internet as a basic right when the first Pinarayi Government launched the project in 2019.  The Government will provide Kerala Vision, the service provider chosen from among six contenders, Rs 124 per connection a month.  Besides, K-FON has been successfully installed in 26, 492 government offices, of which 17, 354 have live internet access.  This includes Government schools, many of which have been depending till now on more expensive connections.

Last but not the least, K-FON can benefit the tourism sector as well.  For instance, a large number of tourists come to Kerala with the intention to live here and work from here.  The K-FON can create a big movement by attracting people with such a mindset. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, which has just completed two years of its tenure, has taken big strides on the development front.

The most significant achievement has been the success in erasing the perception of the LDF Government being investor-hostile, earning praise even from its trenchant critics and detractors. The lavish praise coming from the Vice-President of India and the Prime Minister himself show the tremendous achievements the state has made.

Addressing a public meeting marking the completion of two years of the LDF Government, the Chief Minister said his Government has made big strides in health, education and other sectors. The past seven years have witnessed all-round development. What is creditable is that these gains were made despite disasters such as unprecedented floods, cyclone Ockhi, and Nipah and Covid-19 outbreaks. While the LDF Government came to power in 2016, Rs 1,473.67 crore in welfare pension payments was pending.

The Government not only released the payments but also raised the pension amount, and has over the last seven years distributed Rs 18,997 crore to the beneficiaries. Many major projects like the National Highway expansion, the GAIL pipeline projects and the Edamon-Kochi power highway projects had almost been abandoned during the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government’s tenure.  All these have become a resounding reality under the LDF. The 12 per cent unemployment rate when the LDF Government took charge has now come down to 5 per cent, Pinarayi pointed out.

A major thrust of the Opposition propaganda was that the LDF Government is investor-unfriendly. That perception has been buried fathoms deep, the CM said. In support of his claim, the Chief Minister said  big companies like Nissan, Airbus, Tech Mahindra, Tata Elxsi and Safron have started operations in the State, the Chief Minister pointed out.

The gains on the economic front have been impressive. Despite the heavy odds, the Kerala economy has registered a strong recovery in 2021-22 with the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) posting a 12.01 per cent. What is remarkable is that this has come after a negative 8.43 per cent during the pandemic-plagued 20220-21. Topping the list of achievements has been the Kerala Government’s prestigious flagship project Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON). The scheme aims to provide internet connection to 20 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the State.

Likewise, the Government has made impressive strides in the field of education. The accent in school education has been on improving school infrastructure.  Enrolment has recorded a big rise. The total number of new students who sought admission in Government and aided schools for the last five years is 8,26,929.  The significant aspect of this feat is the erasing of the perception that government schools are qualitatively poor. Positive steps have also been taken on development of inclusive education, free uniform, mid-day meals, financial assistance for meeting expenses towards travelling, hostel facilities and excursion of students are also provided to promote them.

As for Public health care, the focus has been on providing accessible, equitable, affordable and quality health care services for all. As for health indicators, Kerala is at the top of the table. Kerala is the only bigger state with single digit infant mortality rate (IMR) of 6, whereas it is 28 at the all India level. The State has the lowest MMR (19) among the states while the MMR at national level is 97. Life expectancy at birth in the state is 75 and is higher than the national level (70).  Under the Aardram Mission Programme, Kerala has made good progress. In fact, Kerala is the only State where the database of 2,59,55,975 people has been collected and stored as electronic records.  This includes 68, 34, 845 houses, 1, 26, 83, 841 males and 1,32,71,318 females and 816 transgenders.

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have launched protest marches and demonstrations laying siege to the Secretariat in the State capital on the second anniversary of the LDF Government.  The demonstrations were against what the Opposition called “the corruption-ridden Government”.  The protest saw the release of a “chargesheet” listing the alleged failures of the Government.

However, the campaign has proved to be a damp squib. The reasons are evident: the Government’s achievements have been far too many. And the anti-corruption drive has failed to have any impact because the opposition has not been able to come up with any clinching evidence of corruption.

Just one instance would illustrate the point. The Opposition had accused the Government of indulging in corruption in the artificial intelligence-powered (AI) camera traffic surveillance scheme.  The CM said the contracts are being awarded to the lowest bidder through transparent tender processes, while the UDF Government never invited a tender!

The malicious and baseless propaganda being made by the Opposition has forced SRIT India Pvt Ltd, which implements the AI camera project, to send legal notices to opposition leaders Ramesh Chennithala and leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan. The company has accused the two leaders of tarnishing their reputation by making false allegations of corruption and wrongdoing. The SRIT CEO Madhu Nambiar praised the LDF Government for the smooth work atmosphere in Kerala. He said they had been warned of labour and trade union problems. “But we faced no such problems,” he added. The Chief Minister had a dig at the previous UDF Government, saying that investors no more have to give commissions to start a project in the State!

CPI(M)state secretary M V Govindan also demolished the allegations of Rs 100 crore corruption in the AI camera project. He said administrative sanction for Rs 232 crore was given for the entire project. Of this Rs 142 crore was spent for installing cameras. Rs 56.24 crore is the amount to be given to SRIT as performance cost for five years, and Rs 35. 76 crore is GST.  “Where does Rs 100 crore corruption figure in this,” asked Govindan.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attributed the opposition’s agitation to its failure to unseat the LDF Government. The people gave a resounding victory to the LDF in the 2021 elections rejecting the opposition charges with the contempt they deserved. Pinarayi hit the nail on the head when he said Kerala has become an island of hope in an ocean of overpowering tendencies of dictatorship and national atmosphere of growing communalism and hate. “Kerala will not compromise on values of secularism and democracy and will oppose the anti-people moves of communalism by introducing alternate programmes,” said the CM. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no denying it. The spectacular Congress victory in Karnataka Assembly elections has come as a much-needed morale booster for the party unit in Kerala. But the question is: Can the Kerala unit do a Karnataka in the State?

The answer is: it is not at all easy, given the hurdles that teem the path to attainment of that objective. The Karnataka victory was made possible primarily because the Congress had the strongest organizational machinery in that state.

But the ground reality in Kerala is entirely different. The Congress organizational set-up is simply not up to the mark. And unless it is strengthened on a war footing, the party cannot hope to wrest power from the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front(LDF) in the next assembly elections  or repeat its splendid performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when it won 19 out of the 20 seats from the State.

It is true that the new Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran is trying his level best to revamp the organization. But he has not been able to do that mainly because of the factional pressures he is being subjected. An angry Sudhakaran has threatened to quit if the appointment of mandalam and block presidents are delayed beyond a month. The KPCC chief is on record that he is unable to rise up to the expectations because a few leaders have not cooperated with the organisational revamp.  How bad the situation is can be gauged from the fact that the KPCC chief is in the dark about the appointment of feeder organization office-bearers!

A close look at the factional pulls will illustrate the problems plaguing the organizational rejig. Even as Sudhakaran is complaining about non-cooperation, a few MPs have criticized the KPCC chief himself for the delay in appointments. For instance, Kozhikode MP MK Raghavan has complained that the list of leaders given by MPs to be appointed as mandalam and block presidents should be cleared without any further delay. Likewise, the failure to invite members of the executive committee of the Congress in the State, the highest body as per the party’s constitution, to the two-day KPCC meeting in Wayanad, has also evoked strong criticism.  Senior Congress leaders preferring anonymity have said that it is this committee that approves the party’s policy decisions.

The only good thing that has happened at the two-day meeting held at Mananthawady in Wayanad district is the declaration that the BJP is the main enemy of the Congress in Kerala in line with the party’s national policy. But despite the announcement a sizable section of the party considers the CPI(M) too as the major enemy of the Congress in the State!. This conceptual ambivalence has created a lot of confusion in the party’s rank and file.

A significant feature of the meeting was that senior party leader Rahul Gandhi attended it online.  It also managed, as per the claim of leaders, to end the differences and tussles among senior leaders.  There was also a grand announcement that the ‘Mission 24’ readied in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be completed in a time-bound manner.

But what is the reality at the ground level? Senior leaders continue to work at cross purposes. Former leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala and the present leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, for instance, are engaged in an unseemly race of one-upmanship. Their open tussle has not gone down well with the party’s rank and file. This proves the hollowness of the claim that the party is totally united.

As if all this is not enough, the Youth Congress leadership in the State is unhappy about the method of selection employed by the national leadership to hold organizational polls.  What has angered the state YC leaders is the decision to hold an interview to select the person for the top post! As per this proposal, the person who polls the maximum number of votes may not become the successor to Shafi Parambil as YC state president.  The three candidates who poll the maximum number of votes will have to face an interview board which will have the final say in the appointment! The State leadership has opposed this method on the ground that similar methods used in choosing YC presidents in Tamil Nadu and Manipur have boomeranged.

In Karnataka, the congress also launched, quite effectively, a campaign against corruption which resonated well with the voters in that State. But the campaign is not having much of an effect in Kerala. The reason is simple: the Opposition has not been able to come up with any credible evidence of corruption.  The Congress campaign alleging corruption in the installation of AI cameras for road safety has proved to be a flop. Not only that. The campaign against SRIT, the company implementing the project, has decided to sue Congress leaders Chennithala and Satheesan for tarnishing the image of the company by indulging in false propaganda.

Last but not the least, the Congress’s efforts to regain the trust of the Christian community has not succeeded either. In the wake of the Karnataka success story, the Congress in Kerala is making a determined bid to woo back the Kerala Congress(M), which left it to join the LDF. While the influence of communal equations helped the Congress in Karnataka, it is posing problems for the party in Kerala.  While the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) are partners in the UDF, a section of the IUML is cosying up to the CPIK(M)-led LDF.

This being the harsh reality, it would be a Herculean task for the Congress to do a Karnataka in Kerala. While the Congress in Karnataka had able leaders like Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar to lead the party, the Kerala unit lacks a dynamic leader who can turn the tables on the powerful LDF.  The Congress, therefore, has miles to go before it can hope to repeat the Karnataka success story in Kerala. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Will the controversial film, “The Kerala Story”, further the propaganda of the Sangh Parivar? That is the million dollar question resonating in the political corridors of Kerala.

Secular parties in the state say that the film seeks to portray Kerala, a bastion of secularism, as the epicentre of religious terrorism.  The film claims that as many as 32,000 women allegedly went missing from the State and that they converted, got radicalized and were deployed on various terror missions. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post said it was only deliberate that the movie is based on ‘Love Jihad’, a claim that has been rejected by investigative agencies, various courts and even the Union Home Ministry. It is a deliberate attempt by the Sangh Parivar to demean Kerala and sow the seeds of communalism, the Chief Minister added.  People who seek to create division in society in the name of creative freedom cannot be justified, Pinarayi said, adding that creative freedom does not mean licence to spread communal poison and downright lies.

The court order came after hearing a batch of petitions against the screening of the movie. Before it decided to stay the film, the court received a submission from the producer that it would remove the teaser from the social media handles, which claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala were recruited to terror outfit ISIS. This claim was proved to be utterly false. Only three cases of so-called recruitment have come to light so far.  The court referred to “Nirmalyam”, the 1973 award-winning film directed by MT Vasudevan Nair to point out that Kerala is secular. Besides, a competent body like the Central Board of Film Certification had found the movie suitable for exhibition. “There are umpteen films showing Hindu priests as smugglers, rapists, etc, nothing happened in the country? Specifically referring to “Nirmalyam”, the court said there was a movie where an oracle is splitting on the face of the idol of a goddess. There were no issues, however. It is an award-winning movie,” the court added.  Moreover, this is not the first time that a film shows something in a bad light. “Why this movie alone?” the court asked.

If the initial response to the controversial movie, which was released on Friday, is any guide, the saffron camp is unlikely to succeed in furthering its agenda.  A number of protest marches and a lukewarm response have marked its release. Most significantly, many theatres have decided not to screen it because of safety concerns. It may be mentioned that all political parties except the BJP have demanded that the movie be banned in the State.

Why are the theatres reluctant to screen the film? According to Liberty Basheer, the advisory board member of the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation, they have obviously have done it on considerations of safety. There is no denying that there is strong opposition to the screening of the controversial film. Reports have it that despite having initially agreed to show the film, only 22 theatres in the State have screened it. This fact is self-explanatory. Basheer said t if there is any financial loss because of violence and protests, the theatre owners will have to pay for it. Since the theatre owners did not want to take any risk, many have pulled out of screening the film.

The State Government has done well by refusing to bow to the demand for a ban on the film. A ban would only prove counter-productive and would only help the BJP-RSS combine. The Kerala High Court has also declined to stay the film saying that it did not find anything offensive to any particular community, going by the teaser of the movie, which was written and directed by Sudipto Sen and released recently.

Meanwhile, a video retweeted by noted music composer AR Rahman has gone viral.  The video showing a Hindu marriage on the premises of a mosque in Kayamkulam came on the eve of the the release of “The Kerala Story”.  According to the Oscar-winning musician, the marriage of Sarath Sasi of Krishnapuram and Anju Ashok of Kayamkulam was held on January 19, 2020, as per Hindu rituals on the premises of the Cheravally Juma Masjid and was widely circulated as a fine example of religious harmony in the State.

The video was tweeted with the caption “Here is another ‘Kerala Story’.  Rahman shared the video with the message: Bravo love for humanity has to be unconditional and healing’.  The mosque committee had arranged Rs 2 lakh and 10 sovereigns of gold for the marriage.  It also served a vegetarian feast to around 1000 guests. Hundreds of Hindus and Muslims participated in the wedding.  This, then, is the real “Kerala Story”.  A land where Hindus and Muslims have lived in perfect harmony.   Are the Sangh Parivar leaders and activists listening? (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP leaders in Kerala are in seventh heaven following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Kerala.  They are gushing from the housetops that visit was an unqualified success and a political game-changer.

But the jury is sharply divided over its outcome. The Prime Minister virtually sounded the poll bugle with a strong criticism of both the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front(LDF) and the Congress-headed United Democratic Front(UDF).

Addressing the Yuvom 2023, the Prime Minister said the youth were in a mood to rid the State of the two fronts which have dominated the State’s political landscape for decades. The scent of change is in the air, said the PM. Narendra Modi also turned a scathing tongue against the Government saying that while the Union Government was  exporting ayurvedic drugs and such products from Kerala, some here were busy smuggling gold to the country. Modi also expressed the hope that the winds of change would blow over Kerala too, as it did the North-East states, which have Christian voters in sizable numbers.  The BJP is making a determined effort to woo Christian voters in the state to improve its electoral prospects in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The dominant theme in the PM’s speech was that only a strong government at the Centre would spur development. During his stay, the Prime Minister flagged off the Vande Bharath Express train. He also announced a slew of railway development projects besides inaugurating Kochi Water Metro and laying the foundation stone for the Digital Science Park.

Significantly, the PM’s emphasis on a strong Union Government came in reply to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s accent on the need to preserve and strengthen cooperative federalism. That concept was in full play, the PM affirmed, by pointing out that his government had increased the allocation for Kerala’s rail development five-fold since 2014.

A notable feature of the prime ministerial address was the fulsome praise of the State. Kerala’s climate, literacy, natural beauty, quality of lifer and cuisine and globally linked population ensured its economic and social ascendancy. The country and the world, he noted, has a lot to learn from Kerala and the hard-working Keralites. He singled out Kochi Water Metro and the Digital Science Park for special praise.

Chief Minister Vijayan said the environment-friendly Water Metro is the first of its kind in the country and can be replicated in at least 40 cities across the country.  The funding for the Rs 1136-crore project, he said, is through the State Government’s investment and through a loan from German funding agency KFW. The Water Metro would also reduce Kochi’s carbon footprint. The CM also thanked the PM profusely for agreeing to launch various projects in the state.

This was a healthy manifestation of the laudable concept of cooperative federalism. Pinarayi also took credit for setting up the first digital science park in the country. The institution, fully funded by the State is being envisioned with the express objective of promoting multidisciplinary innovation with added focus on digital industry, digital ownership, digital deep tech and digital entrepreneurship. The park will come up in 13.93 acres of land in Techno City at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.  Rs 200 crore has been allocated in the State’s budget for preliminary operations.  The Manchester, Oxford and Edinburgh universities have signed MOUs with the park, he added. Pinarayi also reminded the audience that it was Kerala which set up the first Technopark and the first Digital University in the country. The digital science park is an additional feather in the State’s capacious cap, the CM averred.

Before concluding, it must be said that the Yuvom 2023 failed to live up to the hype. BJP leaders, including BJP state president K Surendran had announced that the Yuvom would witness an interaction between the Prime Minister and the youth.  The interaction was conspicuous by its absence. All that the PM did was make a speech. The attendance at the event also left much to be desired with vacant chairs standing out like a sore thumb. It speaks poorly of the organizational ability of the BJP leadership in the State.

The much-publicised PM’s meeting with heads of various Christian churches also does not seem to have produced the results the BJP leaders were expecting. Of course, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Cardinal Mar George Alancherry, who was among the seven church heads who met Modi, claimed the meeting was a success. According to him, the Prime Minister assured that the Union Government will take steps to address the violence against the community in the country. “The Prime Minister promised protection for all religions in the country,” said the Cardinal. The PM also expressed his desire to invite the Pope to the country during his interaction with the church heads, Alancherry added.

That said, it is evident that the kind of support the BJP expects from the Christian community would not materialize given the ground reality. The community voters are divided among the three political dispensations. It is also a fact that a few churches have voiced misgivings and reservations on the issue of extending total support to the BJP.  The ambivalence among the community was clear from the absence of CSI and Marthoma Bishops from the PM’s meeting with various church heads.

It constitutes a serious setback and loss of face for A Dharmaraj Rasalam, CSI moderator and Bishop of South Kerala Diocese, who is incidentally, facing a probe by the Enforcement Directorate in a case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.  Also, the time when a call from the church heads would ensure voting en masse for a particular political party are long past. The Christian voters have a mind of their own and they go strictly by their political convictions and beliefs rather than blindly obeying the dictates of church heads. This being the reality, the BJP is unlikely to reap rich dividends from the Prime Ministerial visit.

In conclusion, it can be said without fear of contradiction that the Prime Minister’s visit was a qualified success. He did succeed in enthusing the people of the State. He was accorded a warm welcome. But the million dollar question is: will the crowd translate itself into votes in the poll battle? (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) thinks it has made a prize catch by getting the elder son of senior Congress leader A K Antony, Anil Antony to join the party. But the ground reality being what it is, the party will realize sooner than later, that such tinkering won’t fetch the saffron camp Christian votes.

The party may have won the perception battle for the present. The real battle on the ground is however, tougher. Party leaders are trumpeting that Anil’s entry will trigger an exodus, especially of young leaders, from the Congress camp to the BJP bandwagon. That is highly unlikely.

True, the BJP is pulling out all the stops to ensure the support of minorities in Kerala to win at least few seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has had meetings with Christian leaders. The Christian-wooing stems from the realization that without the support of minorities, the BJP won’t be able to make its presence felt in Kerala in the parliamentary polls in 2024. Anil Antony’s entry, the party believes, will mark the beginning of a rethink on the part of the Christian community, which has been backing the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and, the CPI(M)headed Left Democratic Front (LDF) until now.

But Anil is not even a political lightweight in Kerala politics. He began his association with the Congress only in 2019 by working with the party’s Digital Media Cell. Later he became chairman and then AICC’s media cell coordinator. But it is a fact that even Congress leaders were not happy with his performance. Being the son of A K Antony was the sole USP of Anil. He has no independent political base in the State. This being the case, the BJP’s hopes that Anil will be able to attract a big slice of young Congress voters to the BJP won’t fructify.

Despite the BJP leaders’ vigorous wooing the Christian community in Kerala continues to be wary of the saffron leadership. Attacks against the community continue unabated in various parts of the country. It may be mentioned that the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi saw a massive protest by various Christian organisations against such attacks. These attacks will have to come to a halt before the Christian voters start gravitating towards the BJP. That has not happened despite the claims of BJP leaders that such attacks are only isolated incidents. The BJP leaders will have to walk the talk before the party gain the trust of the Christian community.

That said, it must be stated that the Congress has been taken by surprise by Anil’s joining the BJP. His father is, of course deeply hurt by the son’s ‘political perfidy’ as some Congress leaders put it. But he has said that it was a wrong decision which has pained him beyond mention. But he will remain with the Congress and die a Congressman, the Congress stalwart asserted.

Meanwhile, Antony’s younger son, Ajit Antony has frowned upon his brother’s action. Ajit said Anil will become a victim of BJP’s use-and-discard policy. In support of his claim, Ajit referred to the fate which has befallen metro man E Sreedharan. The BJP has turned its back on the metro man after he lost the election to the Lok Sabha, Ajit pointed out. He also alluded to the plight of other Congress leaders like Tom Vadakkan who crossed over to the BJP. Even Alfons Kannanthanam is in limbo these days. The best course for Anil, therefore, is to return to the Congress camp, Ajit opined.

Be that as it may, the Congress must undertake serious introspection in the wake of Anil’s exit from the party. The main reason for the Congress’s vulnerability to poaching by BJP is the ideological dilution the party has suffered. It is a sad fact that in its anxiety to outsmart the BJP, the Congress has embraced soft Hindutva with disastrous results. It has resulted in the minorities, both Christians and Muslims, leaving the Congress-led UDF. Consequently, the party-led front paid a heavy price by losing the 2021 assembly elections. The perception that the Congress lacks the stomach for a full-fledged fight against the forces of communalism growing. It has also caused a rethink at least in a section of Muslims that when it comes to battling the BJP, the CPI(M)-led LDF the best bet. The LDF alone has the political will and organizational strength to halt the onward march of saffron forces. If the Congress continues to wallow in its ideological ambivalence, then greater and faster gravitation of Muslims towards the LDF is inevitable.

This being the harsh reality, the Congress has no option but to regain its ideological vigour and organizational strength. The sooner the party bends its energies in pursuit of this goal, the better. Failure to do so would only hasten the party’s political irrelevance. And that can only result in the BJP gaining traction and heft in a State steeped in the secular ethos. A consummation secular forces cannot afford at this crucial political juncture. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The verdict of Lok Ayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph in the case of alleged misappropriation of the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMRDF) during Pinarayi Vijayan Government’s  previous term from 2016 to 2021 has come as a big relief to the Chief Minister.

Any adverse verdict in the case would have left the Chief Minister with no option but to resign. Resignation cannot be avoided as there is no provision for appeal against the Lok Ayukta’s verdict.

The case was filed by a former employee of Kerala University R S Sasikumar alleging that funds from CMRDF had been distributed in violation of norms governing allocation of the funds. A year has elapsed since the arguments in the case came to an end. But the verdict has come after a full year. The petitioner had moved the Kerala High Court against the delay in the Lok Ayukta verdict.

Now that the verdict has come, the petitioner has again decided to approach the High Court against the split verdict announced by the Lok Ayukta. The petitioner also contends that, as per a Supreme Court judgment, orders in such cases looked into by the Lok Ayukta should be given within six months.

In his order, Justice Cyriac Joseph has said that since there are differences between him and UP Lok Ayukta Haroon Rashid, the case has been referred to a three-member full bench. No date has been fixed for further hearing in the case. The Lok Ayukta and the UP Lok Ayukta are divided on whether a collective decision of the State Cabinet can be subjected to investigation under the provisions of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act.

The petitioner’s case is that the Cabinet had disbursed the funds in violation of CMRDF norms. Here are the details: A financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh had been given to the family of a politician close to the LDF Government, who is no more. Also, an amount of Rs 9 lakh was given to the family of a  deceased MLA. Moreover, Rs 20 lakh was given to a police official  who was killed after the pilot vehicle of the then CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan  met with an accident. The petitioner accused the Government of giving the funds in blatant violation of the norms governing CMRDF allocation.

It may be mentioned that  Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel in the previous Pinarayi Government  resigned  after the Lok Ayukta had found  him guilty of nepotism. There were fears that a similar fate might befall Pinarayi Vijayan if the Lok Ayukta verdict went against him.  The split verdict has averted that situation, giving the Chief Minister a reprieve and time to initiate further legal action. The verdict means that a protracted legal battle is inevitable in the case. Petitioner Sasikumar has said that he would go to any extent, if need be even to the Supreme Court, to get a favourable verdict.

The previous Pinarayi Government had brought in legislation  amending the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act  by including provisions empowering the Assembly to review the Lok Ayukta orders disqualifying ministers.  At present, it is awaiting State Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s assent. If the Governor signs the bill, then even if the verdict of the High Court goes against him, the Chief Minister won’t have to resign.  The opposition had alleged that the amendment was aimed at overcoming any adverse order by the Lok Ayukta.

In an early reaction, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has said that there is no way the Chief Minister can get a favourable verdict from the High Court.  He also accused the Lok Ayukta of delaying the verdict under pressure.

With the petitioner deciding to continue the legal battle, the ball is now in the court of Kerala High Court. As of now, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan can heave a sigh of relief. He gets much-needed time to go ahead with appropriate legal  action to weather the storm – legal as well as political –  created by the case. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The statements by two influential bishops of the Catholic Church on rubber prices and support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have taken the political parties in the State by surprise. If the offer is backed by various Christian bodies, it could signal a paradigm shift in Kerala politics.

The first salvo was fired by Thalassery Archbishop Joseph Pamplany who said the other day that farmers in the state will help the BJP to elect its first Member of Parliament from Kerala if the Union Government increases the price of rubber to Rs 300 per kg! At present, rubber is being traded in the range of Rs 130-150. The very next day, Thamarassery Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil extended his support to the offer.

It may be mentioned that the BJP has been straining every nerve to enlist the support of Christians in the State in an effort to expand the party’s base in Kerala. The BJP’s efforts have not succeeded so far. Hence the latest attempt by the party through the two Bishops to cosy up to the Christian community. Significantly, there arfe reports that a few BJP leaders had a meeting with Pamplany days before he made his statement. The BJP sees in the offer an opportunity to win the backing of both the 21-lakh strong Syrian Christian community and the Jacobites, who number 11 lakh. The BJP also perceives a willingness within a section of the Christian community to align with the saffron camp.

There are, however, signs that the BJP will find it difficult to enlist the support of the Christians in the State. For instance, the Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council (KCBC) has denied any move to align the community with the BJP. A spokesman of the KCBC has said that Pamplany’s offer was not to support the BJP. It was just a call to political parties to address the urgent concerns of the farmers in the State.

As his statement has created a controversy, Pamplany himself tried to explain that his remark was not the official stand of the church. He said her was only trying to say that the farmers would support whoever offers to help them.

As expected, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress headed United Democratic Front(UDF) have reacted sharply to Pamplany’s statement. In his reaction, CPI(M)state secretary M V Govindan said it is not possible for the Christian community to align itself with the communal BJP. Only last month, he said 79 organisations had staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the attacks on minorities by the RSS and other Sangh Parivar outfits across the nation.

The protest was attended, among others, by Christian priests and nuns from various states, including Kerala. They had also submitted a memorandum to the Union Government drawing its attention to the attacks in as many as 598 places. If the Christian community decides to ignore all this and goes ahead with its align-with-BJP move, it won’t be effective in Kerala, Govindan said.

The Congress also said it was an emotional reaction after seeing the plight of the rubber farmers. Too much need not be read into it, said leader of the opposition V D Sathees, adding that the last few years had witnessed attacks on over 500 churches in the country.

Needless to say, the BJP’s minority-wooing exercise has been undertaken following the call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that efforts should be made to woo the minorities. He said if the move fructifies, the BJP would form a government in Kerala as well. The ground reality is, however, different. It would be a Herculean task for the saffron forces to win the trust of the minorities given the demonization of the minorities the BJP has been indulging in with gusto over the years.

That said, a word of caution is in order. The secular parties cannot allow themselves to be lulled into a sense of complacency in the wake of the Bishops’ offer to the BJP. The LDF Government will have to take steps to further cement ties with the Christian communities in the State. Likewise, the Congress also has to be wary of the bishops’ move as it could erode its already-weakened base among the Christian community. As Jawaharlal Nehru said eternal vigilance is the need of the hour to halt the onward march of communal forces in a state steeped in the secular ethos like Kerala. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Recrudescence of the faction war in the Kerala unit of the Congress has taken the shine off the plenary session of the party which concluded in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on February 26.

The party in Kerala has clearly failed to imbibe the spirit of the unity call given out at the plenary session. The magnitude of the problem can be gauged from the manner in which senior party leaders from Kerala openly aired their vexation at Raipur itself. Senior leader and former KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala fired the first salvo against the state leadership. He crossed swords with leader of the opposition VD Satheesan over the ‘arbitrary nomination’ of at least 60 Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) members who were empowered to attend the Raipur plenary.  The process of consultation, Ramesh alleged, had become a thing of the past. And if his defiant mood is any indication, Chennithala is set to up the ante.

Chennithala is not the only leader to let off steam against the KPCC leadership. KPCC working president Kodikkunnil Suresh, MP, has also lashed out at the reluctance of the KPCC leadership to adopt a consensus approach on organizational matters.  An angry Suresh has already moved the party high command against the ‘arbitrary’ nominations. The AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Tariq Anwar, obviously, has his task cut out.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, however, rejected Chennithala’s contention. He said consultations did take place. The only difference is that, unlike in the past, the KPCC leadership has refused to be browbeaten by the leaders of the two dominant groups in the Kerala unit, the A and the I groups led, respectively, by Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala. It can be said without fear of being contradicted that the faction war in Kerala is all set to resume with greater vigour.

Clearly, the two groups are in no mood to take things lying down. They are determined to stoutly oppose the inordinate delay in the organizational revamp. The groups have in fact threatened to resort to non- cooperation if their interests are not addressed soon. And they have suggested that a state-0level scrutinizing committee be set up to finalise the names.

That there would be trouble in the coming days is clear from the open expression of their annoyance with KPCC chief K Sudhakaran’s style of functioning by Kodikkunnil Suresh and P C Vishnunath, a staunch Oommen Chandy loyalist. Adding insult to injury is the refusal to the state leadership to release the list of co-opted AICC members from Kerala.

In another development, which bodes ill for the party in Kerala, Congress MP from Kozhikode M K Raghavan has accused the state leadership of indulging in the “use and throw” of leaders and accommodating only those who flattered the powers that be. Raghavan had gone hammer and tongs against Sudhakaran. Things have come to such a pass that the leadership simply cannot accept criticism. No one in the party is ready to say openly that the king is naked emperor, Raghavan, who is a staunch supporter of Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.  Raghavan contended that inner-party democracy has been restored in other parties including in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second most powerful partner in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the State. Unless deserving leaders are encouraged and sycophants sidelined, the party is in for more electoral debacles, Raghavan pointed out.

Meanwhile, the Kozhikode DCC president K Praveen Kumar has given a report to the KPCC president on the programme in Kozhikode where Raghavan launched a broadside against the KPCC leadership. But he is in no position to take disciplinary action against Raghavan who is a Member of Parliament. As Raghavan is an MP, only the Congress High Command can act against him. All that Sudhakaran can do is to recommend action against Raghavan, according to party sources. Whatever the denouement, one thing is for sure. The tug of war will only intensify in the coming days, posing problems for the Congress in the State. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Will Shashi Tharoor make it to the Congress Working Committee (CWC)? That is the question uppermost in the minds of Congress leaders and workers in Kerala even as the 85th plenary session of the Congress begins in Raipur   on February 24.

While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has not revealed his mind on the subject, speculation is rife that Tharoor may be included as a special invitee.  The Congress in Kerala is sharply divided on accommodating the three-time Thiruvananthapuram MP in the CWC.  While the A group led by former chief minister Oommen Chandy favours Tharoor’s inclusion, there is another section which is vehemently opposed to it. Oommen Chandy himself is of the view that Tharoor’s popularity should be utilized by the Congress.

Incidentally, three A group leaders, M K Raghavan, Thambanur Ravi and Benny Behanan reportedly met Kharge recently and put in a strong word for Tharoor, it is learnt.  Ignoring Tharoor in the changed political context will not be in the interests of the party. His immense popularity, especially among the youth and women, will stand the party in good stead in the forthcoming parliamentary poll. That is the considered view of a large section of Congress leaders as well as cadre. Moreover, the High Command simply cannot ignore the impressive performance Tharoor put up in the election for Congress president.

His supporters say, including Tharoor will not be a problem at all as two senior leaders from Kerala, A K Antony and Oommen Chandy will, in all probability, step down from the CWC on health grounds, paving the way for the entry of younger leaders and new faces from Kerala. That, in a way, would signal a generational shift in the party in Kerala. Among the frontrunners for AICC positions from Kerala are Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Kodikkunnil Suresh, former KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and Shashi Tharoor.  There is also a distinct possibility of some Tharoor baiters, who have accused him of elitism and one-upmanship, making it to the CWC. Kerala occupies a special place in the Congress scheme of things because of two factors: the overwhelming response to his Bharat Jodo Yatra in the State and Rahul Gandhi’s being an MP from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.

As for Kodikkunnil Suresh, he is more or less sure to make it because he is in the good books of Sonia Gandhi. He has the support of Mallikarjun Kharge, too. But there is opposition to his candidature in Kerala itself.  A former A group loyalist, Suresh is out of the group now. In other words, he is unlikely to get the backing of the still powerful A group. As far as Chennithala is considered, his chances are equally bright. Chennithala is close to both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul. His vast organizational experience and fluency in Hindi language are additional assets. Chennithala is a bit peeved at being removed as Leader of the opposition. There is a thinking that it is better to keep him out of the State in view of this fact. The High Command is sure to move cautiously as Kerala remains one of the few States where the Congress continues to be a force to reckon with and where it can stage an electoral comeback.

There are reports that four senior party leaders won’t be attending the plenary session. They are AK Antony, Oommen Chandy, former KPCC president VM Sudheeran and Mullappally Ramachandran. While Antony and Chandy will stay away on account of health problems, both Sudheeran and Mullappally are said to be unhappy because their concerns have not been addressed. It is a known secret that Sudheeran does not see eye to eye with present KPCC chief K Sudhakaran. Sudheeran has made no secret of his displeasure over Sudhakaran’s style of functioning. His grouse is that despite repeated reminders, the party high command has ignored his requests to solve the problems plaguing the state unit of the Congress.  Incidentally, though Sudheeran has stepped down from the AICC and the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), his resignation has not been accepted so far.

In another surprise development, Mullappally Ramachandran is said to have decided to drop his plan to attend the plenary session. This has come amid reports that Mullappally is likely to be get a CWC berth and may also become the chairman of the disciplinary action committee of the AICC, replacing A K Antony. Mullappally, a senior Congress leader with his impeccable credentials, has been keeping a low profile ever since he stepped down as KPCC president following the defeat Congress suffered in the 2021 assembly election. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Various Muslim organisations in Kerala have strongly criticized the dialogue the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) had with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) recently.

The crux of the Muslim organizations’ argument was that the JIH was attempting to cosy up to the RSS out of fear. They also suspected the JIH of having some vested interests to protect.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second most powerful partner in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), was prompt in condemning the dialogue in no uncertain terms. IUML leaders PK Kunhalikutty and MK Munir the situation obtaining in the country now did not warrant an urgent dialogue with the RSS.

It may be noted that the office-bearers of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulema have remained tight-lipped, so far.  However, its Mushawara member Umer Faizy accused the JIH of being scared of the RSS.  Faizy is one of the hardliners in Samastha who are opposed to any dialogue with Hindutva organisations. The Kerala Muslim Jamat, headed by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar called the RSS-JIH talks a historic blunder. The Muslim Jamat is of the considered view that the RSS is an enemy of India and the country’s secular ethos.  A dialogue with such an organization would be nothing but embracing an enemy. Theocracy is something that binds the two groups. This being the harsh reality, the JIH has become a tool for whitewashing the anti-India fascist forces.

The Kerala Naduvathul Mujahideen state chief TP Abdullah Koya Madani also identified himself with the opinions voiced by the IUML and Kerala Muslim Jamat.  Madani termed it as a unilateral dialogue, which created the suspicion that the JIH had some vested interests to protect. On its part, the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham leader Abdussamad Pookkoottur said there was no way the RSS-JIH dialogue could be justified. It was unacceptable.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also strongly critical of the dialogue. The JIH dialogue with RSS was dangerous as the RSS wants to establish a Hindurashtra by making the minorities second class citizens. Pinarayi also asked the JIH to disclose the details of the talks. The JIH, he added, did not hold the patent for upholding minority right in the country.  Its hopes of reforming the RSS was tantamount to expecting a leopard to change its spots, the CM said, adding that the JIH had revealed its true colours by trying to cosy up to the Hindu majoritarian organization. Pinarayi stressed the paramount need to protect the religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities.  The JIH was also guilty, the CM alleged, of challenging the secular values of the country by trying to snug up to the RSS. Its actions amounted to lending legitimacy to the RSS agenda, Pinarayi said in a strongly-worded statement.

Left leader KT Jaleel, MLA, has also been severely critical of the JIH. The people of the State, Jaleel said, had a right to know the details of the talks. Has the RSS expressed regrets for the death of 50 people, including Mohammed Akhlaq, who were brutally killed in the wake of the beef controversy.  Has the BJP apologized for the Gujarat massacre? Did UP Chief Minister Adityanath agree to drop the move to rename places?  Has the Welfare Party, the political wing of the Jamat, rece4ived any assurance of being made a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)?  Did they guarantee that the special status of Jammu and Kashmir would be reinstated? Did the RSS leaders give an assurance on withdrawing the Muthalaq legislation? These were some of the questions Jaleel posed to the JIH leaders.

The closed-door meeting was held in New Delhi On January 12.  The RSS was represented by sahasarkaryavahak DR Gopal Krishna and national executive member Indresh Kumar.  Incidentally, Indresh has been the pointsman of RSS in its outreach programme towards the Muslim community over the decades.

Meanwhile, RSS leader Indresh said the dialogue was result of the desire of many Muslim organisations to have   consultations with the RSS.  He said the Muslim Rashtriya Manch a non-political organization, had held meetings with the Muslim organisations to remove the misrepresentat6ion among them towards others.  An invitation to have talks with the RSS followed. They were keen on a national-level dialogue with RSS leaders, according to Indresh.  The first meeting was held when Sudarshan was the RSS chief.  Since then, the dialogue is progressing in multiple forms, he added.   For instance, the meeting held between RSS s chief Mohan Bhagwat and Muslim leaders like YS Qureshi Najeeb Jung and others is being described as a “meeting of the minds”.  The Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Indresh said, would organize dialogues at hundreds of places from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to resolve the issues of discord between the Muslim and Hindu communities.

Now that the dialogue has evoked strong criticism, it remains to be seen how the future dialogue, if any, would play out.  (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has become a nauseatingly unredeemable tale of rejection and rebuff for Kerala. True to pattern, the State has once again been given the cold shoulder in the Union Budget. None of the demands made by the state have been accepted.

The only silver lining has been the decision to increase the import duty on compounded rubber from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. While the hike has been widely welcomed, there were doubts whether this will apply for countries under the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Compound rubber import has been a matter of grave concern for rubber farmers as it has resulted in the lowering local prices besides affecting compound rubber makers in the country. Since Kerala accounts for bulk of the 7.5 lakh tonnes of natural rubber in the country, the farmers must get around Rs 190 a kg to make cultivation attractive.

The import of rubber in 2022 was five lakh tonnes. Rubber industry devoured most of it , including automotive tyre-making. The tyre industry has been taking advantage of the conditions prevailing in the international market to import compound rubber to the dismay of rubber growers in the country, especially Kerala. The hike in import duty should go a long way in alleviating the misery of rubber growers. Rubber, which constitutes over 80 per cent of Kerala’s plantation crops, is a major contributor to the Agricultural GDP. Because of lower prices many rubber farmers had stopped rubber tapping. Now that the import duty has been hiked, the situation is expected to take a turn for the better.

It is a matter of regret that the State’s wish list has been completely ignored. Topping the list was the demand for extending the period of GST compensation.  The budget also makes no mention of the State’s request for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recently requested the Union Government to approve the project, saying that the land for it had already been identified. The State Government is, however, going ahead with its plan to set it up at Kinalur in Kozhikode district.

Another relief for the cash-strapped state is that the “Special Assistance” to State for Capital Investment, launched in 2022-23 will continue in the new fiscal as well. The scheme envisages giving 50-year-old interest-free loans to State Governments for capital investment projects. The loan is apart from the normal borrowing ceiling allowed for the states. Kerala had been given Rs 2,500 crore under this scheme in 2022-23. There is no doubt that the loan will be a big relief for Kerala, which has been facing a serious financial crunch because of cuts in the devolution of tax share, revenue deficit grant and the end of GST compensation scheme.

The budget also militated against the concept of cooperative federalism. The public health sector in the state has been ignored by reducing the allocation for the MNREGA rural employment scheme. Kerala, it may be remembered, had sought a hike in the wages for the scheme besides increasing the number of mandays to at least 150 from the current 100. The step-motherly treatment being meted out to the scheme is nothing but petty politics. The partisan politics is also clear from the decision to allocate Rs 5,300 crore to Karnataka, a BJP-ruled state, with an eye on the forthcoming assembly election there.

No less worrying for the State is the budget proposal on result-based financing of schemes. Kerala’s Finance Minister KN Balagopal voiced his concern over the move. The problem, he said, was that although it may seem fair, it is not clear who will carry out the assessment. This will be another blow to the state, which is already suffering because of discrimination in the funding of centrally-sponsored schemes.

No less worrisome is the Union Government’s move to establish multi-purpose cooperative societies, primary fishery societies and dairy cooperatives in uncovered panchayats and villages. It is evident that the move targets the State’s own cooperative sector. This is the first time that schemes have been announced to target the lowest levels of the cooperative sector. According to Balagopal, both the schemes will have a far-reaching impact on the State. Lesser amounts for food subsidy and procurement of rice and wheat are also a matter of deep concern.

The unkindest cut has been the decision to slash the Net Borrowing Ceiling (NBC), which will exacerbate the financial woes of the State which is already in deep trouble because of the Union Government’s refusal to extend the GST compensation period and the cut in Revenue Deficit Grant.  The decision to adjust the “off-budget” borrowing (OBB) by KIIFB and the Kerala Social Security Pension Company (KSSPL) is highly discriminatory. The time for launching a massive protest against such discrimination has come. And all parties, irrespective of political differences, must make a united effort to force the Union Government to mend its discriminatory ways and practices. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As if the plethora of problems plaguing the Congress in Kerala is not enough, the party has been hit by ‘son stroke’!

The man in focus is, Anil Antony, son of veteran Congress leader A K Antony. Anil had to quit as chairman of the digital communication cell of the State unit for voicing a view, which is at odds with that of the party on the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  In a recent tweet on the issue, Anil had said that the British broadcaster over Indian institutions would undermine the country’s sovereignty.

The tweet had evoked strong criticism not only from the State unit of the Congress but also from the party High Command.    The strong reaction forced Anil to quit the post, alleging “intolerant calls to retract a tweet.” In the process, Anil also had a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.  In his remark Anil said “I have resigned from my roles in the Congress. Intolerant calls to retract tweet, by those fighting for free speech. I refused.@facebook wall of hate/abuses by ones supporting a trek to promote love! Hypocrisy thy name is! Life goes on,” Anil tweeted.  He further said in a letter that “by now I have been made well aware that you, your colleagues, and the coterie around the leadership are only keen to work with a bunch of sycophants and chamchas who would be unquestionably at your beck and call. This has become the lone criterion of merit,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh was unsparing in his criticism. “A Tale of Two Sons of Two CMs from the same state. One is a Bharat Yatri and walking tirelessly, mostly barefoot, to unite our nation in the #BharatJodoYatra. The other is revelling in his day in the sun today having ignored his duties to the party and the Yatra.” The Bharat Yatri Ramesh mentioned was Chandy Oommen, Oommen Chandy’s son, who has walked with Rahul Gandhi from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.  In a significant development, Youth Congress leaders have also reacted strongly to Anil’s outbursts. While YC state president Shafi Parambil welcomed Anil’s resignation, the reaction from YC vie-president Rijil Makutty was stronger. He demanded that Anil should resign from the Congress.

Intriguingly, AK Antony himself has, so far, remained tight-lipped. There has been no reaction from Anil’s father. But he cannot afford to remain silent for long. Sooner than later, he will have to take a stand. After all, Antony is the chairman of the disciplinary action committee. It will be an acid test for the veteran. Will he act against his son, who has shown no signs of stopping his criticism of the Congress?  In his latest comment, Anil said that the Congress had found a perfect ally in BBC, which, according to him, often questioned India’s territorial integrity by publishing truncated maps of the country. Senior Antony will have to either ask his son to stop making anti-party statements or take disciplinary action against him. It, undoubtedly, is a catch 22 situation for AK Antony who is known to take principled stand on issues.

The BJP, understandably, is pretty pleased over the acute embarrassment caused to the Congress. BJP state president K Surendran lost no time in twisting the knife in the Congress wound.  Anil’s resignation from Congress party posts showed that patriots had no place in the party, he said. True, Anil has denied any plan to join the BJP. But how true Congress politics will play out in the days to come will be watched with keen interest.

Unfortunately for the party, the Anil episode has emerged at a time when the Congress in the State is struggling to shake off the adverse impact of a slew of developments. To the dismay of the State leadership, factionalism has reared its ugly head in the Kottayam district unit of the party, one of the strongest units in the State. What has caused consternation is the omission of Congress general secretary and former chief minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, from party posters on a protest by Congress MP Anto Antony.  The A group, which Chandy heads, is unhappy over the development. This is the second time in a month that Chandy is being excluded from party posters. The insult to Oommen Chandy has come in the wake of speculation that his son, Chandy Oommen may contest from Pathanamthitta in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At present, Anto Antony represents Pathanamthitta in the Lok Sabha.

Besides, there is uncertainty over the continuation of K. Sudhakaran as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). There is a section within the party, including senior leaders, which wants Sudhakaran to step down. Their reasoning: Sudhakaran has antagonised the Indian Union Muslim League (IUMLK), the second most powerful constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF) through his statements critical of IUML leaders. Adding fuel to the speculation is his ill-health. Sudhakaran’s supporters, however, are unfazed. They say Sudhakaran’s rivals in the party are seriously handicapped because there is no leader who can be projected as his replacement.  They also believe that the party would not dare to remove Sudhakaran as he has the support of the powerful Ezhava community.

All these developments have pushed the Congress on the defensive. It will be a Herculean task for Sudhakaran to undo the damage. The million dollar question is: Will Congress High Command, which has so far extended him full support, change its stance? The answer lies in the womb of time. Till the issue is settled, the Congress in the State, will continue to be buffeted by ill-winds. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no mistaking it. Kerala has erased its image of being an investment-hostile State despite the campaign of misinformation being peddled day in and day out by the Opposition parties.

Two recent developments have knocked the stuffing out of the argument of the Cassandras and doubting Thomases.  Firstly, Kerala’s Startup Mission (KSUP) has emerged as Asia’s best performer in promoting talents. This is revealed in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2022. The State has also become the fourth globally. KSUM has been able to fund as many as 200 start-ups after identifying over 900 innovators deserving of encouragement last year.  The agency was also successful in providing 2,500 hours of mentorship to startups besides organizing 15 investor meets and industry meets, and more than 40 workshops.  No wonder, 2022 saw the KSUM emerging with a “notable rise” in the stature of the State’s startup ecosystem.

If this is not enough to demolish the negative propaganda unleashed by the detractors, here is another feather in the State’s cap.  A World Benchmark Study has ranked the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) as one of the world’s top five business incubators! Finding a place among the five top business incubators in the world is no mean achievement and represents a handsome recognition for KSUM’s efforts in creating a robust incubation programmes.  Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself acknowledged the KSUM’s remarkable feat by saying that the recognition will result in more investments coming to Kerala’s startup sector in future.

In a major policy decision, the Kerala Government has decided to collaborate with more private developers to ensure that buildings in its IT parks are constructed on the public-private model. It is a significant development in that it is the first time the State is opening up to private developers on such a big scale.  The State’s readiness to collaborate with more developers is part of its efforts to add at least 10 million sq feet for IT needs by 2026.  Presently, IT parks in the state boast a combined built-up area of 20 million sq feet.

The development activities are not confined to the IT sector alone.  The state was witness to a big boom in the realty sector, which recorded a 39.47 rise in the number of projects compared the previous year.  Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority says 159 new projects were registered with the (K-RERA) in 2022. The figure for 2021 was 114. Of this 148 were residential projects.  Ernakulam topped with the highest number of 80. Thiruvananthapuram came second with 72 and Thrissur third with 25.  The number of units went up from 5,933 in 2021 to 12,018 last year.

An important development has been the decision of Haritha Keralam Mission to clear the streams in Western Ghats to facilitate smooth water drainage from hills and valleys and prevent landslips  during monsoon.  To start with, the stream clearing project will be implemented in 230 panchayats.  The idea is to complete the project before the next monsoon season.  This is a significant development as the main reason why 60 per cent of landslips happen is the absence of a proper water drainage system.  Proper water drainage system will prevent absorption of water in the soil.  This being the case, the project will prevent landslides in the Western Ghat regions.

The state government has also come up with a Rs 9000-crore master plan to expand and diversify public sector units.  As per the plan, 405 projects will be implemented in three phases in 41 public sector undertakings.  The master plan, to be implemented over a 10-year period, is expected to double the revenue of Rs 480 crore received by the Government from various projects besides creating more job opportunities.

The biggest rebuff to the allegations of people who are busy tarnishing the image of the State is the remarkable turnaround of the manufacturing sector in the State. The launch of 1,24,249 enterprises within 10 months of the current financial year effectively debunks the claims of the detractors.  The manufacturing sector’s contribution to Kerala’s GDFP rose from seven per cent in 2016 to 14 per cent in 2021.  Inaugurating the Mega Entrepreneurs Meet at Kochi recently on January 21, the Chief Minister referred to the praise the state received from the Union Government for launching the “entrepreneurship year programme.  Although Kerala’s population is only 2.6 per cent of the country’s population, the State contributes 4.2 per cent of the country’s GDP.

The CM also sought to debunk the propaganda that Kerala is close to landing in a debt trap.  The data provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) says the state’s public debt was 29 per cent of the GDP in 2016. It grew to 37 per cent in 2021. But the debt burden of the Centre has gone up from 47 per cent of the GDP in 2016 to 59 per cent in 2021.  Kerala also boasts  growth indicators which are better than the national average.  (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no mistaking it. The CPI(M)’s fulsome praise of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second most powerful constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), has scared the daylights out of the Congress.

There is a delicious irony here. As the leader of the UDF, the Congress is supposed to take steps to strengthen the front. Instead, the Congress is busy  scoring self-goals, consumed as it were by a death wish!

It all started with CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan’s overtures to the IUML. Govindan made a statement – regarded  by political observers as a  masterstroke – that his party does not consider the IUML a communal party. Govindan reminded IUML that under the leadership of EMS Namboodiripad, it had aligned with the CPI(M) to form a government in 1967. Govindan further said that “League is a democratic party working for the minorities. CPI(M) has criticized it whenever it joined hands with communal parties like the SDPI.” Govindan’s stand was not, however, to the liking of the CPI, the second most important partner in the LDF. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran went on record that the overture was totally unnecessary and that there was no move to expand the LDF at present.

The CPI(M) state secretary’s praise sent the UDF into a tizzy, triggering speculation that the exit of the IUML from the UDF is imminent.  But, then, if there is panic in the UDF camp, the Congress has no one but itself to blame.  It is the statements emanating from top Congress leaders, mainly Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran, which has induced second thoughts in a section of the IUML about its continuance in the UDF camp.

What strengthened the IUML’s suspicions were the remarks of Sudhakaran from time to time. At one point, he said there would be no problem even if the IUML decided to leave the UDF! Though he denied having made the statement, the damage had been done. He followed it up with a statement that at one point of time he had rushed to protect the RSS from political enemies! The IUML, understandably, took strong exception to these statements at a time when the need is to strengthen the battle against the communal forces led by the RSS-BJP combine.

A cornered Sudhakaran tried damage-control by stating that he would never compromise with communalism. Then came another stunner from Sudhakaran. He said even Jawaharlal Nehru had accommodated the RSS by inducting Shyama Prasad Mukherjee into his Cabinet. That ludicrous remark had even the Congress leaders up in arms against the KPCC chief, who blamed the press for distorting his remarks!

The IUML is also unhappy about the Congress handling of the Shashi Tharoor issue. The IUML feels Tharoor is an asset to the UDF and should be given full support in his efforts to strengthen the Congress and the UDF.  Bowing to the IUML’s pressure, Leader of the opposition V D Satheesan who had openly criticised Tharoor, beat a grudging retreat.

Signs of the growing strains in the ties between the Congress and the IUML came to the fore, again, when IUML’s Rajya Sabha MP P V Abdul Wahab excoriated the absence of Congress MPs in the house when a controversial bill on the uniform civil code was being presented. Wahab who lamented the absence of his Congress colleagues, had a word of praise for the Left MPs who were present in full strength to vehemently oppose the bill along with members of TMC, MDMK, RJD and SP, among others.  CPI(M) MP John Brittas had a dig at Congress saying that this was now the Congress helping its ally in Kerala.

The ball is now in Congress court. The party has to get its act together fast. The party must erase the impression that it is soft on the BJP in its eagerness to regain power in Kerala.  Remember, when Satheeswan took over as the Leader of the Opposition, he made said that the main enemy was the BJP. But the resolve weakened with Sudhakaran committing political harakiri with his pro-RSS statement. The wishy-washy stand of the top Congress leaders created doubts in the minds of the IUML, triggering the process of cosying up to the CPI(M). Top IUML leaders like PK Kunhalikutty were perceived as being soft on CPI(M).

Everything depends on the future conduct of Congress. If the party and its leaders fail to up the ante against the BJP-RSS combine, the IUML will be, willy nilly, forced to give serious thought of joining hands with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic front(LDF), which is in the forefront in the crucial battle against the saffron camp. The Congress has been forewarned. If it refuses to read the writing on the wall, the UDF is in real danger of unravelling.  And that would be a sad day in Kerala politics. For, the beneficiary of the UDF’s collapse would be the BJP, which has, so far, failed to capture Kerala, a state steeped in secular ethos. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is light, at long last, at the end of the Vizhinjam tunnel. The peace agreement between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government and the Latin Church which spearheads the anti-seaport agitation has come as a big relief for the Government.

But the Government cannot rest on its laurels. True, an agreement is in place after the 140-day-old agitation against the Vizhinjam seaport. But, it is an uneasy truce. And the Government has its task cut out. It has to focus, without further loss of time, on the follow-up measures. And, most important, this is no time to crow over the end of the agitation.

The reason is there for all to see. It is evident from the reaction of Eugine Pereira, Vicar General of the Latin Church, who announced the ‘temporary’ end of the agitation, has made no bones about his reservations. The agitation is being ended not because “we are satisfied with the steps taken or promises made by the Government. The protest has reached a certain stage…and we are calling it off,” Pereira told reporters.

The Government would – and should – do well to keep the ‘celebrations’ over its ‘political victory’ on a low key. After all, none of the demands of the agitators has been conceded. That said, credit should be given to the Government for taking the initiative to end the stalemate. The protestors had a meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after two rounds of talks. First, they met the Chief Secretary, followed by a meeting with the Cabinet Sub-committee. They demanded, among other things, that a local community representative be included in the expert constituted to study the possible coastal erosion because of the port construction. They also demanded that an additional amount of Rs 2,500 be given from the State exchequer to meet the rent expenses of those who lost their house and property.

The Pinarayi Government, however, rejected both the demands. Its reasoning: the expert panel has already been constituted. However, the CM assured the protestors that the committee will consult them as well. Since a government order has already been issued, the demand for the extra rent amount cannot be conceded, said the Chief Minister. Nor where the agitators in a mood to accept the additional amount of rent they wanted – Rs 2,500 – from the Adani group. Therefore, the agitators decided to settle for the earlier rent amount of Rs 5,500.

On its part, the Government promised to set up a Chief Secretary-level monitoring committee of which the Port Secretary will also be a part. The agitators can, according to the Government, consult the committee any time.

With the agitation called off, the Adani group would resume the port construction without any further delay so that it can meet the deadline of December 2023.

What prompted the agitators to call off their struggle? Opinion is divided. But, what turned the tables on the agitators is the violence they unleashed on Vizhinjam police station in which many, including policemen, were injured. The violence proved to be the turning point, with the agitators losing sympathy of the people at large. With the parliamentary polls just a year away, escalation of violence would damage the prospects of the party and its allies.. It is this realization that forced both the Government and the Church to settle for a cessation of hostilities. Another reason why the agitation was losing steam is the communal comments made against a Minister.”

A major bone of contention is the arrest of a large number of people, including a Bishop in connection with the violence which visited the Vizhinjam port. The Government should, in a spirit of accommodation and as a gesture of goodwill, withdraw the cases registered in connection with the struggle.  It is gratifying to note that the Government, has assured the agitators that action would be taken only against those involved in serious crimes. That assurance should reassure the agitators.

Now that the ‘guns have fallen silent’, the Government has an awesome responsibility. It has to see that the momentum generated by the end of the agitation is not lost. Follow-up steps should be taken immediately. The peace accord has given the Government an opportunity to assuage the concerns of the fisher community, which played a stellar role when the State was battered by unprecedented floods and rain fury. It must take immediate measures to concede their genuine demands, including compensation and rehabilitation. That the Government has promised to do that is a good sign. The agitators have also done well to assure the government that the protest against the port construction would be ended. The need of the hour is to ensure that both sides do not stop smoking the peace pipe. After all, as the saying goes, hope sustains life! (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are all set to deepen their already warm relationship. The development is bound to have a beneficial bearing on India’s relations with the other countries of West Asia.

Topping the list is a food security cooperation under the I2U2, a new West Asian quadrilateral initiative, including Israel and the US besides India and the UAE.  The stage has been set for an agreement on food security cooperation in the wake of India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s talks with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Ali Nahyan   this   month.  It may be mentioned that a delegation led by the CEO of ADQ, an active investor and a sovereign wealth fund located in Abu Dhabi, visited India in October   this  year for detailed discussions with the stakeholders.

On its part, the I2U2 leaders’ summit, held in July had decided to harness private capital among the member countries for projects on agriculture, infrastructure, water, energy, transportation and digital connectivity. It is gratifying to note that bilateral relations between India and the UAE had registered an “appreciable growth” ever since the conclusion of a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 18 this year.  Subsequently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Abu Dhabi on June 28 on his way back home from Europe. He was welcomed by UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Ali Nahyan.  Incidentally, it was Modi’s fourth visit to the UAE.

The headway made is visible in a 24 per cent increase in India’s exports to UAE between April and September in 2022. While India’s exports were in the region of USD 16 billion, imports recorded a 38 per cent rise to touch USD 28.4 billion in the same period. The bilateral talks also concluded that there was scope for further cooperation in the fields of energy, healthcare, defence, space, climate change, skills, fintech and start-ups.

The growing warmth in the ties between the two countries is evident in India’s talks with UAE and Saudi Arabia to allow settlement of trade in Indian rupee.  Reports have it that the Reserve Bank of India and the Finance Ministry are working on a mechanism to facilitate trade in the Indian currency.

If the talks fructify, it will be a major gain for Indian businessmen as UAE is a big market for India.  There is a rub, however. Since India is a net importer from both UAE and Saudi Arabia, the excess rupee management could prove ticklish. Incidentally, India’s exports to UAE and Saudi Arabia posted a decline in October 2022.

Bilateral ties received a big boost when UAE became the highest contributor to Foreign Direct Investment in India from Gulf countries. UAE invested, between 2017 and 2021, nearly $6,488.35 million in India.  Saudi Arabia is also a significant contributor to FDI in India.

India and UAE have a special relationship as close to 35 lakh Indians live there.  Not surprisingly, remittances from UAE have recorded a five per cent increase in recent months.

The break-up of major investment in India from Gulf countries is as follows: $6488. 55 million from UAE; $3058.25 million from Saudi Arabia, $223.49 million from Qatar; $181.45 million from Bahrain, $109.25 million from Oman and $37.91 million from Kuwait.

Also, the period between June 2020 and December 2021 saw the return of Indian migrant workers from the Gulf countries. These included 1,52,126 from UAE, 1,18,064 from Saudi Arabia, 51,206 from Kuwait, 46,003 from Oman and 32,361 from Qatar.

Available figures say that the number of  people who left India to work in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE , between June 2020 and December 2021 is 1, 41,172.

It may be mentioned that the RBI had, in July,   announced a policy decision to allow trade settlements between India and other countries in rupee.  The notification, issued on July 11, said that it had been decided to put in place an additional arrangement for invoicing, payments, and settlement of exports and imports in INR. This has been done to promote global trade with accent on exports from India and to support the rising interest of global trading community in INR.

Significantly, two Russian banks, Sber Bank and VTB, are the first foreign lenders which have secured the RBI’s approval to open special Vostro accounts to trade in rupee. The RBI is learnt to have   given approval to the HDFC Bank and Canara Bank to open special Vostro accounts for trade settlement in Indian currency with Russia.  Three other banks, Uco Bank, Union Bank and IndusInd Bank, have also managed to get approval for opening Vostro accounts

Vostro account maintains holding of the foreign entity in Indian banks in rupee. The advantage is that traders, irrespective of whether they are exporters or importers, can receive or make payments through this account. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The World Cup football is in full cry. So is the political soccer game in Kerala.  The only difference is that, unlike in the Qatar extravaganza, political parties in the state, especially the Congress, are busy scoring self goals!

The latest episode which betrays the Congress party’s proclivity to commit political hara-kiri relates to the Shashi Tharoor issue. As it has done on so many occasions in the past, the Congress leadership, both at the central level and at the state levels, are mishandling the issue and exposing itself for further fragmentation – a luxury the party, which is attempting a comeback in the State, can ill-afford at this critical juncture.

It all started when Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor decided to undertake a tour of the Malabar region for “strengthening the party”. The Congress leadership, which has always had an uneasy relationship with Tharoor, immediately smelled a rat.

Although Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran said there is no bar on Tharoor embarking on his “Malabar mission”, a section, led by leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan felt that his activities amounted to promoting groupism. Satheesan’s stand shows that the party leadership is divided on the issue. The Congress High Command on its part, has let it be known that it supports the party’s state leadership in the matter and that it would intervene if it files a complaint against Tharoor for ‘flouting the party line”.

Tharoor countered the argument by emphatically denying that he was trying to form his own group in the party, already riven by groupism. All that he was interested in doing was  ensure total unity in the party, instead of forming his own group. This being the reality, he said he was hurt by the insinuations of the   Leader of the Opposition. Kozhikode MP M K Raghavan, who is a staunch Tharoor loyalist and who is supervising his Malabar tour, also said that such remarks were uncalled for. Raghavan is of the firm view that the Congress in Kerala needs a leader of Tharoor’s stature, calibre and popularity to revive the party’s waning fortunes.

Be that as it may, the party’s state leadership has been rattled by the enthusiastic welcome being accorded to Tharoor by the rank and file of the Congress.  Party leaders may be conspicuous by their absence from his functions. But the workers clearly do not share the misgivings and fears being voiced by the leaders in the state. The perception that Tharoor is one of the leaders who can energise the Congress in Kerala is growing and acquiring added resonance. This has not been to the liking of Tharoor baiters in the State,

Whatever their views, there is no denying that Tharoor has wide acceptance among the people, especially among women and youth.  That was evident during his campaign for the AICC president’s post.  The fact that he is a three-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram bears eloquent testimony to his immense popularity. Not many senior leaders backed him, but  young Congress leaders openly stood by him and participated enthusiastically in Tharoor’s campaign, much to the dismay of the central as well as state leaderships.

What has caused serious concern among the Congress leadership in the state is the warm welcome the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second most important partner in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), gave him during his tour of the Muslim-dominated Malappuram district.  Of course, IUML leaders scrupulously avoided commenting on the internal conflict of the Congress. But they made no secret of their liking for Tharoor, who is conducting a strong campaign against the forces of communalism. The anti-BJP stance is Tharoor’s USP, and the IUML is fully supportive of his firm stand against the RSS-BJP combine. This has to be viewed against KPCC chief Sudhakaran’s frequent pro-RSS statements in the recent past, which dented the party’s anti-BJP credentials badly. Not surprisingly, Sudhakaran’s stand has not been to the liking of IUML. Hence the party’s effusive welcome to Tharoor.

The Congress leadership – both at the central and state levels – must realize the serious mistake they are making by targeting Tharoor. If the party’s comeback attempt is to succeed, the leadership must cry  a halt to the anti-Tharoor utterances. Of course, for form’s sake the KPCC chief has asked the leaders to stop public criticism of Tharoor. But it is observed more in its breach than observance. Party leaders, with the exception of Lok Sabha MP, K Muralidharan, are committing a big political blunder by trying to humiliate Tharoor.

The Congress leadership’s arrogance and indifference have already caused the exit of a few capable leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is now a Minister in the Modi Cabinet. The Congress cannot afford to lose more leaders. The effort should be to accommodate the likes of Tharoor who is an asset to the party and utilize his qualities of head and heart to revive the party both at the central and state levels. Continued demonization of him would only cost the party dear, seriously weakening its attempt to stage a comeback both in the State and at the Centre. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has escalated the standoff with the Left democratic Front (LDF) Government by raking up the  gold smuggling case to spite Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

In an interaction with presspersons in New Delhi, Khan said he had not interfered in governance.  “But now when I see all the smuggling activities are patronized by the Chief Minister and persons close to him are involved in smuggling activities, I have the ground to interfere.” The Governor is obviously using the recently-published memoirs of gold case accused Swapna Suresh to hit back at Pinarayi.

Upping the ante against the Government, Khan lashed out at Kerala Finance minister K N Balagopal saying that he had made things difficult for Keralites residing in other States by “stoking the fire of regionalism and provincialism”. The Minister, Khan added, had challenged national unity by insinuating that “people from UP could not understand Kerala systems.’

The Governor’s growing outbursts against the Government have only reinforced the suspicions that he is acting as a political agent of the Union Government and the RSS-BJP combine. If he thinks that such a strategy would fetch rich political dividends, he is mistaken. If anything, such tactics would only boomerang, exposing the Governor to further public ridicule. And the stratagem would fail dismally as both the Chief Minister, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan have made it  clear that the Government would not be cowed down by Khan’s intimidatory tactics. Khan’s remarks evoked a sharp retort from Govindan. The Governor was relying solely on the lies and canards being floated by a discredited economic offender. Such statements should be rejected with the contempt they deserved, added Govindan in a strongly-worded riposte. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran also identified himself with the opinion voiced by his CPI(M) counterpart.

Meanwhile, the Kerala University Senate, dominated by the LDF, has frustrated the Governor’s attempts to have his nominee included in the search-cum-selection committee to choose a Vice-Chancellor.  The Senate meeting held the other day, decided to elect a person to the committee only if the Governor as Chancellor withdrew his earlier notification constituting a two-member VC selection committee.  The Senate had, on August 20, passed a resolution asking the Governor to disband the committee constituted by him “illegally”. While 50 members supported the resolution, seven UDF members opposed it. Now that the Senate has taken a tough stand in the matter, the ball is back in the Governor’s court. It remains to be seen whether he would take any swift retaliatory action.

Significantly, the resolution contended that the notification issued by the Governor was in violation of the provisions of the Kerala University Act and regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC).  According to Syndicate member KH Babujan, the notification violated Section10(1) of the Kerala University Act, 1974, which  says that the search panel should have three members. There was no provision whatsoever to constitute a committee with two members – which the Governor did – and then add the senate nominee. If the senate elected a person to the search committee based on the Governor’s notification, it would attract legal action, Babujan pointed out.

It may be mentioned that the Senate had, in August, decided to request the Governor , who is Chancellor of the University, to withdraw the notification. But he refused to do so and convened a meeting on October 11 for electing a member to the search committee. However, with majority of the Senate members abstaining, no business could be transacted, prompting the Chancellor to withdraw 15 of the 17 nominated Senate members.

All this shows clearly that the Governor’s action is littered with mistake after mistake. For instance, the Governor said it was wrong on his part to clear the reappointment of GopinathRaveendran as Kannur University VC. If he felt that it was illegal, he should have put his foot down and refused to clear his name. The Chancellor did not do so. Later, the High Court okayed the decision to reappoint Raveendran as Kannur Varsity VC. Then, the Governor woke up to blame the CM for ‘pressuring’ him into clearing Raveendran’s name!

The Governor has erred again by constituting a two-member search committee to select a VC. That is illegal as the university law says the committee should have three-members instead of two. The VCs have also argued that the Chancellor was only a statutory officer who could not adjudicate the legality o9r otherwise of  their appointments.  He is not legally competent to take a decision on whether the appointment of a VC was void or not.

In another significant development, the CPI(M)has started exploring the possibility of divesting Arif Mohammed Khan of the chancellorship of the universities in the State.  The CPI(M) state secretariat has decided to have a close look at the legal and practical aspects of the move.  The two-day state committee which is meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday is likely to take a final decision. The plan is to first bring in an ordinance removing Khan as Chancellor. If the Governor refuses to sign it, the Government intends to convene a special session of the Assembly to pass a legislation to  this effect.

The Congress, on the other hand, has become a laughing stock by failing to take a clear stand on the issue.  Reports have it that the newly-elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is unhappy with the stand of the Kerala leadership which has backed the Governor in the standoff with the State Government.  According to CPI(M) Politburo member MA Baby, Kharge expressed his displeasure, in his meeting with CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury early this week, at the manner in which Khan is trying to destabilize the LDF Government. Senior Congress leaders in the State K Muralidharan and PJ Kurien are also sharply critical of the Governor’s recent actions.  This shows the sharp division in the Congress over the sensitive political issue. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are no signs of any let-up in the confrontation between the Left Democratic Front(LDF) Government and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. If anything, both sides have toughened their stance with the Governor reiterating that the appointment of 11 Vice-Chancellors was “irregular, illegal and void ab initio”.

The Supreme Court order does not deal with just one vice-chancellor. That is Khan’s stand. This is at odds with the Government’s stand that the verdict against Kalam Technological University (KTU) VC was applicable only in that specific case. While nine VCs have been asked to reply by November 3, the deadline for two other Cs to show cause is November 4. No Vice-Chancellor has replied so far.

The Governor’s tough stand has come barely two days before the Vice-Chancellors have to reply to the show-cause notices asking them why they should not be removed from their posts in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict. The Governor had issued the show-cause notices after the apex court quashed the appointment of MS Rajasree as Vice-Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University on the ground that it was made in violation of the University Grants Commission(UGC) guidelines.

On its part, the Government is exploring the legal options to remove the Governor as Chancellor of the State universities. Reports have it that the Government is having a look at the Bill passed by the West Bengal Government in June to make the Chief Minister Chancellor of the state universities. It may be mentioned that Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra Governments had taken the same route earlier. The Aam Aadmi Party Government in Punjab is also said to be considering a Bill to replace the Governor as Chancellor of the state universities.

Incidentally, the MM Punchhi Commission on Centre-State relations had recommended that the Governor “should not be burdened with positions and powers, which may expose the office to controversies or public criticism.” The Kerala State University Law Reforms Commission, which had submitted its report in June 2022, had pointed out that there is no compulsion on the State Government or Assembly designate the Governor as Chancellor of the state universities.

Latest reports say the Governor is ready with his own list of senior professors who may be given charge of the Vice-Chancellors as and when he decides to cancel the appointment of the existing VCs of state universities. Khan is also in no mood to accept the government’s recommendation that Ishita Roy, Principal secretary, Department of Higher Education, be given the charge of the VC of the technological University.

Meanwhile, the Government is determined to intensify the political fight over the limits of Gubernatorial powers. The Government toughened its stand after Arif Mohammed Khan compounded the ‘original offence’ by withdrawing the “Governor’s pleasure” for the duration of Finance Minister K N Balagopal’s term in office. Constitutionally, the Governor does not have the power to dismiss ministers though it allows him to withdraw pleasure against them. Legal experts are of the view that Balagopal’s remark was not sufficient ground for recommending the removal of the minister. The Chief Minister has already rejected the Governor’s request.

What had irked the Governor was Balagopal’s remark that those who come from Uttar Pradesh cannot understand the way universities function in a state like Kerala. Khan had opined that the ministers’ remarks were a violation of his oath of secrecy and amounted to sedition. Balagopal had said that he had gone to Banaras Hindu University after being elected as the national president of the Students Federation of India(SFI) because of a shootout there. Five students had been gunned down by the security guard of the Vice-Chancellor. The LDF Government countered by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had likened Kerala to Somalia once. Also, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had slanderously campaigned against “turning UP into Kerala”. If the sedition charge is applicable in Balagopal’s case, the same should apply to the BJP leaders as well.

The week ahead is likely to be stormy as the deadline for the VCs to reply will be over by November 4. The Government is watching the Governor’s next move. Will he go ahead with appointing his own people as VCs when he rejects the existing VCs’ reply?

The LDF movement against Khan plans to expose the Governor’s move to implement the RSS agenda in the State. The Governor’s recent actions betray the larger agenda of saffronising higher education in the state. The CPI(M)-led LDF is bent upon defeating the saffron camp’s ‘nefarious’ plans. The Government has made it clear that it will not go back on the reforms it is planning to bring in in the sector. With the Sangh Parivar equally firm on going ahead with its agenda, the higher education sector is set to witness a protracted battle – political as well as legal – in the days to come. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court verdict quashing the appointment of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University VC over violation of UGC norms should be reviewed, opined former Lok Sabha Secretary-General and constitutional expert PDT Achary.

Achary said the judgment should be subjected to a review as the appointment of the KTU VC was legal. The former LS Secretary General was also critical of the action of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in ‘using’ the verdict against KTY VC to demand the resignation of 9 other VCs in Kerala. Achary made it clear, in an article in the CPI(M) daily “Deshabhimani” that the SC verdict was limited to only the KTU VC. The Governor’s action in using the verdict to seek the removal of other VCs was wrong.   Judgments in  individual cases apply only to individuals and not otherwise, argued Achary. Hence his case for a review of the SC verdict on the KTU VC.

The apex court had held that a VC-search-cum-selection committee constituted in contravention of the norms or appointment made on the basis of a single-named panel shall be “illegal and void ab initio”.  The UGC guidelines say that the panel should suggest at least three names and not a single one. Khan said in view of the judgment, the appointments made in the state universities contrary to the law have to be rectified. Therefore, the Chancellor  contended, fresh appointments have to be made in accordance with the law!

The Vice-Chancellors, however, refused to quit and sought legal remedy.  The SC verdict also took exception to the Governor’s unseemly haste in seeking the resignation of 9 VCs. They should have been given adequate time to give their explanations. The judgment, which has come as a setback to the Governor who is also the Chancellor, gives temporary relief to the VCs. They have now time till November 3 to give their explanation to the show-cause notices issued by the Chancellor. And till a final decision is made by the Chancellor, the VCs can continue in their posts, the apex court ruled.

Legal experts are, however, divided over the issue. A section of experts says that the Chancellor is bound by the SC’s declarations of law and has to act in accordance with its verdict. Another section says since due process has not been followed in this case, the move will not stand legal scrutiny.

The Government’s contention is that the UGC guidelines for selection of Vice-Chancellors are only advisory and not directive in nature.  Besides, the judgment also contradicts other SC verdicts on the legal standing of the UGC norms.

LDF leaders, on their part, contend that the SC verdict is confined to the appointment of the KTU Vice-Chancellor. The Chancellor, therefore, cannot ‘misuse’ it to pursue his political agenda of effecting saffronisation of higher education. The Governor is functioning as the agent of the BJP in this connection, they argue.

They are also of the firm view that Arif Mohammed Khan should be the first to resign as he himself violated the UGC guidelines in VCs’ appointment.  For instance, last year, a search committee constituted by Khan to shortlist a VC for the Sanskrit University had recommended only the name of MV Narayanan to the post.  The Governor had criticized the search committee for recommending a single person instead of a panel of names as laid down by the UGC guidelines.  The Governor delayed his decision by three months. But ultimately he appointed Narayanan to the post in March this year. It is evident that the Governor was aware of the UGC guidelines’ violation in this case.  Then, why did he clear the appointment of the Sanskrit University VC?  No satisfactory answer has come from the Governor’s side.

Again, when it came to the selection of Fisheries University VC, the search committee proposed only a single name. This was again in clear violation of the UGCV guidelines, but the Governor did not deem it fit to oppose it!

The Governor was again in the wrong in the reappointment of Gopinath Raveendran as the Kannur University VC. But he cleared his name only to admit his mistake later! He went to the extent of blaming the Chief Minister of putting pressure on him to appoint Raveendran as the Kannur VC!  If the Governor was so sure of the violation of UGC guidelines in this case, he should have refused to clear the appointment. He did nothing of the kind. All the three cases mentioned above make it abundantly clear that the Governor has no moral right to seek the resignation of VCs on the ground of guidelines’ violations. The reason: he himself is guilty of the violation of UGC guidelines.

The  Congress-led United Democratic Front(UDF) is sharply divided over the Governor’s action. While Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakartan and leader of the opposition VD Satheesan welcomed the Governor’s action, senior party leaders K Muralidharan and PJ Kurien came down heavily on the Governor’s action. Murtalidharan went on to say that the opinion voiced by AICC general secretary in charge of organizational matters KC Venugopal was the Congress’s official stand on the matter.

The Indian Union Muslim League, the second most powerful partner in the UDF also opposed the Governor, saying that his actions were unacceptable.  It is clear the State Congress leaders are trying to score brownie points to seek short-term political gains, oblivious of the dangers the Governor’s actions pose.

The Vice-Chancellors have received a relief for the time being. If the Governor takes a decision that goes against them, they will again approach the court. The SC has also made it clear that the Governor’s decision should be strictly in accordance with the law.  It can be said the Governor’s objective of pushing saffronisation of higher education in the State has suffered a legal setback for the time being.

The Pinaryi Vijayan-led LDF Government has, in the meantime, decided to step up the movement against the Governor. It has decided to launch a statewide agitation from next month.  All this shows that the Governor-Government faceoff shows no sign of let-up. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Will Congress presidential hopeful Shashi Tharoor spring a surprise by winning the election for the top party post?  That is the question uppermost in the minds of Congress leaders and activists in his home state Kerala.

Political experts, however,  say the odds are against  Tharoor. Although the Congress High Command has proclaimed its neutrality in the election, the overwhelming perception in party circles is that Tharoor’s opponent, Mallikarjun Kharge has its tacit backing. The majority of the Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) have made no secret of their preference for Kharge.  The bias against Tharoor is clear also from the fact that when he visits various PCC offices, the office-bearers are conspicuous by their absence! The only exception has been the Madhya Pradesh PCC where senior leader Kamal Nath accorded Tharoor a warm welcome, much to the surprise of the latter!

His supporters argue that Kharge is a veteran leader with rich experience of party work. His credentials for the job are impeccable, they contend, adding that Kharge is also more aggressive in his opposition to the forces of communalism led by the BJP-RSS combine. As against this, Tharoor lacks organizational experience, and is a latecomer to the Congress having joined the party only 13 years ago. Also, Tharoor’s proclivity to come out with frequent remarks and statements which run counter to the declared policies of the Congress have also not endeared him to the official camp.

Tharoor loyalists oppose this line of argument by saying that he may be less experienced than Kharge in party work. But there is no denying that Tharoor has managed to generate tremendous interest in the election. His candidacy has also triggered a lively debate on the state of affairs of the Congress party and the urgent need to revitalize it. Victory for Tharoor will be a victory for democracy and transparency within the party, his supporters point out. They are also of the view that though Kharge has denied it, he will be remote-controlled by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka. The very purpose of the election will be defeated if Kharge emerges the winner. That is the crux of their argument. And they do have a point. After all, protestations notwithstanding, Kharge will find it impossible to ignore the interventions and directives of the Party High Command.

The Tharoor camp thinks his election as the party president will usher in the organizational revamp badly needed by the party, which has been enfeebled by repeated electoral debacles and setbacks caused by large-scale defection of senior Congress leaders. The most important gain, they say, will be the end of the High Command culture sedulously fostered over the years by the acolytes of Gandhi family. In his ‘manifesto’, Tharoor has underlined the need to end the practice of looking for the permission of the High Command even for the election or selection of district chiefs of the Congress.

The Tharoor camp is also upset that despite the High Command’s directives to remain neutral, party office-bearers are openly campaigning for Kharge. He has even gone to the extent of complaining to the election authority about the bias against him. Tharoor has made particular mention of the pro-Kharge campaign launched by former Kerala PCC president Ramesh Chennithala. It remains to be seen whether any action will be taken against the Tharoor baiters.

Tharoor is also unhappy about the list of delegates handed over to the candidates. The list is full of discrepancies, he alleges, adding that this has put him in an extremely disadvantageous position and affected his campaign. The list is riddled with incomplete details in the list of delegates. Some lists had names, nut no contact numbers while some others had names but no proper addresses! Therefore, it was difficult to approach them, Tharoor has said. This shows that there are glaring flaws in the party’s system as no such election has been held in 22 years.

In support of his argument, Tharoor says that, on September 30 when he filed his nomination, he was handed over a list of delegates who would be voting for the election. Having found that there were no addresses or phone numbers listed against many of these delegates, he sought the Chief Election Authority (CEA)’s help. They were given, on October 5, a second list Incidentally, this list did not have  at least 500 names that had figured in the earlier list but had a different set of 600 names!

As far as Kerala is concerned, the Congress camp is clearly divided. Of course, Kharge has the overwhelming support of the party leaders in the State. The confusion among the state leaders is clear from the fact that Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran himself changed his stance thrice. In his latest U-turn, Sudhakaran has thrown in his lot with Kharge. Tharoor has said that this is nothing but a clear violation of the AICC president Sonia Gandhi’s writ. But it is also clear that the younger leaders in the party in the state are with Tharoor. Congress MP Hibi Eden, MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and former MLA K S Sabarinathan have openly supported Tharoor. And Tharoor claimed that many more young leaders would vote for him, adding that he would manage to secure more votes than the rival camp thinks.

Whatever the outcome, the contest has energized the party like never before. Kharge’s victory would mean status quo, argues the Tharoor loyalists. The party now needs sweeping changes if it has to survive and emerge as a viable alternative to the BJP Government at the Centre. Supporters aver that Tharoor alone can usher in the changes that are an essential pre-requisite for the revival and longevity of the grand old party. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A case of ‘human sacrifice’, in which two women were brutally killed, has shocked Kerala. It is difficult to believe that such an act of unspeakable barbarity should happen in a progressive state like Kerala. But that is the chilling reality to which traumatized Keralites must come to terms.

The gruesome murders, which represent a throwback to the mediavel times, happened at Elanthur in Pathanamthitta district. Insatiable greed for wealth and superstition snuffed out two precious lives. Three persons, including a couple, Bhagavan Singh, his wife Laila and Mohammed Shafi, a self-proclaimed sorcerer, have been arrested for the abduction and murder of Tamil Nadu native Padmam and Thrissur native Rosily.  The women, who lived in Ernakulam, had been missing for a long time. The trio have confessed to have murdered the two women.  Reports say it was Shafi who talked the couple into sacrificing the women, saying that the killing would bring them prosperity and wealth!

The State has witnessed as many as seven gruesome killings over the last few years.  Jolly Joseph, a native of Koodathayi in Kozhikode district, murdered six members of her family within 14 years by administering poison. The serial killings came to light in 2019.  Mysore-based traditional medical practitioner Shaba Sharif was murdered by a gang, which kept in him captivity for more than a year in Nilambur.  The killers had hacked his body into pieces and thrown them into Chaliyar river near Edavanna in Malappuram district.  In yet another incident, 25-year-old Uthara was killed by her husband Sooraj using a cobra he had bought from a snake charmer.

The shocking murders have underlined the urgent need for a legislative deterrent against superstitious beliefs and practices. Successive governments have failed to enact a law against such barbaric killings. It is not as if nothing has been done to address such gruesome killings. It was the tenure of the VS Achuthanandan-led Left Democratic Front(LDF) Government (2006-2011) that saw the first effort to tackle the problem.  Unfortunately, the move fell through for various reasons.  The next attempt was made when Ramesh Chennithala was the Home Minister in the Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front(UDF) Government, in 2014.  The then Additional Director General of Police(Intelligence) A Hemachandran had prepared a working draft of the Bill, Kerala Exploitation by Superstition(Prevention) Act.

Hemachandran said the three instances of killings through black magic in various parts of the State led to the drafting of the 2014 Bill. As ill luck would have it, that bill also failed to become a law.  The next effort came in 2019, when the Kerala Law Reforms Commission readied a draft Bill against superstition , sorcery and inhuman evil practices. The bill was submitted to the State Government, too. But nothing has come out of it so far. It may be mentioned that the late Congress MLA P T Thomas too had, in 2019, moved a private member’s bill demanding a ban on black magic and superstitious practices.

The draft bill prepared by the Law Reforms Commission is said to be under the consideration of the Home Department. The task was taken up by the Reforms Commission Chairman and former Supreme Court judge KT Thomas. What prompted Kerala to go in for legislation was the enactments in Karnataka and Maharashtra in the wake of the killings of social activists KK Kalburgi and Narendra Dabholkar.

The latest effort came through CPI(M) MLA K D Prasenan, who sought permission to introduce a bill to eradicate superstitious practices , in 2021.  The Government, however, did not clear it. SC and ST Welfare minister K Radhakrishnan told the Assembly that the Government had readied the draft of “Kerala Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill and the same will be introduced in the State Assembly soon.

Meanwhile, the ‘human sacrifice’ has evoked widespread condemnation. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed the incident as a challenge to modern society, rationalism, human rights and scientific temperament.  The cold blooded murders were, the CM said, the product of greed, an unduly credulous belief in sorcery and delusions about making money through occult practices. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran stressed the importance of enacting quickly the Kerala Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman, Evil and Black Magic Act, 2017. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cassandras have ended up with egg on their faces. The prophets of doom have been embarrassed beyond mention. Belying all dire predictions, Kanam Rajendran has been re-elected unanimously as the Communist Party of India (CPI)’s Kerala   state secretary for a third term.

The most positive upshot of the State conference of the CPI has been a resonant message of unity. The anti-Left press, rubbing its hands as it were in malicious glee, has been administered a stinging snub by the party leaders and cadres who, once again, laid accent on left unity in the State.  The positive outcome of the conference will impart a new energy and strength to the battle against the forces of communalism led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the negative politics of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).

The conference also witnessed a generational shift with the exit of party veterans K E Ismail and C. Divakaran from the State Council.  Ismail will, however, continue to be a member of the National Council until the 24th party congress from October 14 to 18.. Senior assistant secretary K Prakash Babu, has retained his state council membership. CPI leader from Idukki E S Bijimol, who had voiced her reservation on some issues in a Facebook post, has not made it to the council.

The new 101-member Council sports a younger image. As many as 33 members were dropped from the existing 96-member council. Among those who have not made it to the council are Central Control Commission chairman Pannian Ravindran and Central Secretariat member Binoy Viswam.  There are 13 women among the 38 new faces in the Council.  The anti-left press had forecast a fierce controversy over the party’s decision to make mandatory the age cap of 75 years for leaders in the State council and executive members. The prediction was that the decision was meant to oust senior leaders Ismail and Divakaran.  But that has been proved to be nothing but mere conjecture as it was Ismail who proposed Kanam’s name as the state secretary.

As for Divakaran, the stalwart himself said he would abide by the party decision on the age cap. It may be mentioned that the CPI National Council had taken a decision to bring in the upper age limit to ensure greater representation of youngsters in leadership positions. Since it was the decision of the National Council, it could not be interpreted as being against the party constitution. The party’s mass base has expanded with the membership having gone up from a mere 34,600 in 1971 to 1,77,600.The branch committees have gone up from 8,500 to over 11,000.  Of course, there is scope for further improvement. It was after the Malappuram conference that the party saw a surge in membership.

In his acceptance, speech, Kanam dismissed rumours of factionalism in the party. That is the product of the not so fertile imagination of the left-hostile media. “The party has no group. Communists stand as one. Comrades have the right to voice their opinion in their respective party forums. It is not an era of slavery.  However, the party’s decision-making is always consensual and concordant in the tradition of democratic centralism,” affirmed Kanam.

An important feature of the conference was that despite the party’s reservations and apprehensions, criticism of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), especially the Home department under the control of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has been softened in the party reports presented to the state conference. The major criticism was against the Kerala Government’s use of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against student leaders Thaha and Allen for possessing Maoist brochures besides the killing of Maoists at Attappady in November 2010. In both these incidents, the CPI said the LDF Government had deviated from the known stand of the left parties. The state government’s resort to the draconian law, the CPI felt, would considerably weaken the Left parties’ stand obnoxious pieces of legislation such as UAPA.  The Conference also called for frequent consultations within the LDF and evolving a consensus in the functioning of the LDF Government.

The political report voiced the CPI’s reservations on the SilverLine project.  The CPI has all along been of the firm view that such mega projects should be implemented only after taking the people into confidence. The report also referred to the ongoing protest against the Vizhinjam port project.  The conference stressed the importance of drawing up coastal conservation plans.

Significantly, Kanam has become the fourth leader from the party to secure three terms as state secretary. The other leaders have enjoyed three terms are NE Balaram, P K Vasudevan Nair and Veliyam Bhargavan. Strengthening the party at the grassroots level is the major challenging Kanam is facing. True, the party has recorded growth. But as a party leader said, much more remains to be done. For instance, the CPI has party units in all panchayats and majority of the wards. The immediate task is to ensure the party’s presence in all wards.  No less important is the need to keep the CPI’s identity intact in the LDF.  (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It may sound clichéd. But it is true that the sad demise of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan marks the end of an era in CPI(M) politics in particular and Kerala politics in general. In other words, Kerala politics will never be the same with the exit of the gentle giant. It is an irreparable loss to the left movement in Kerala and the state itself.

The death of the communist colossus could not have come at a worse time. His absence will be badly missed by the party which is beset by a plethora of problems – political, economic and social. He was a crisis manager par excellence, the man to go to in a moment of crisis. It would not be an exaggeration to say that a crisis brought out the best in him. Kodiyeri had the great gift of untying even the most complicated political knots. He was also the smiling face of the CPI(M). The great leader played a key role during the transition phase in the State. Kodiyeri’s contributions in ensuring a second consecutive term for the LDF Government are well known. A leader who is a synonym for commitment, courage and dedication, Kodiyeri never compromised on principles.

It can be said without fear of contradiction that the CPI(M) will take a long time to recover from the crippling blow his death has inflicted on the party. It was Kodiyeri who kept things under control when the VS Achuthanandan-Pinarayi Vijayan rift was at its peak. He functioned as the link who defused the tension with his deft and diplomatic handling of an extremely tough situation.  It speaks volumes about the man’s character that he managed to maintain an excellent rapport with both VS and Pinarayi. It was Kodiyeri again who effectively tackled factional issues that plagued the party. Kodiyeri was a picture of patience and great dignity in moments of crisis. There is no denying that the controversies surrounding his sons had an adverse impact on his political life for a long time. But the man survived all that through sheer dint of his personality and character.

Born on November 16, 1953, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan became a member of the CPI(M) at the age of 17 and the secretary of the Students Federation of India(SFI) when he was only 20. The party entrusted the post to him because it had full faith in his legendary capacity for hard work and exceptional skill as an organization-builder. He remained in jail for 16 months during Emergency. Kodiyeri became the Kannur district secretary of the party in 1980. A five-time MLA from Thalasseri constituency, Kodiyeri was also known for excellent relations with leaders of the opposition parties. He was also a three time CPI(M) State Secretary. Their affection and regard for the ‘smiling communist’ is clear from the effusive and emotional tributes to him from the entire spectrum of opposition leaders.

His exit is a devastating personal loss to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.  Kodiyeri was Pinarayi’s closest confidant. The duo shared an excellent rapport. The warmth that suffused their relationship came out eloquently in Pinarayi’s moving tribute to his comrade. It may not be an exaggeration to say that Kodiyeri’s passing away will create a big void in Pinarayi’s political and personal life. Kodiyeri was, as Pinarayi himself described, not only the closest comrade but a loving brother who stood by him through thick and thin. An affable leader, Kodiyeri was also an efficient minister. His term as the Home Minister under VS saw the implementation of the novel concept of a ”janamaitri” (people-friendly) police. His tenure as tourism minister also witnessed a big boost to rural tourism. His contributions to the communist movement and Kerala’s development are second to none.

Kodiyeri also faced his illness with the same courage and resilience with which he fought his political battles. These qualities enabled him to survive the toughest period in his life, according to Dr. Boben Thomas who accompanied him to the Apollo hospital in Chennai.

Now that Kodiyeri is no more, the CPI(M) in particular and the Left Democratic Front(LDF) in general will find it tough to navigate the choppy waters of Kerala politics. The party and the Government will have to find a leader who can fill the void left by his exit. But it will not be easy. Both the CPI(M) and the LDF will miss the extremely popular mass leader, who was blessed with an awesome capacity for trouble-shooting and tension-defusion. He would turn things around even in the most difficult hour with his never-failing smile. Kerala politics is poorer for the death of the committed communist who endeared him to one and all with his healing touch. Kodiyeri belonged to that rare breed of leaders who practiced politics with great dignity and commitment. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

Will Kanam Rajendran get a third term as the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI)?  That is the question doing the rounds in political corridors of Kerala.

The four-day CPI State conference is being held in Thiruvananthapuram from September 30. CPI general secretary D Raja will inaugurate the delegates’ session at Tagore Theatre in the Kerala capital on Friday, September 30. As many as 563 delegates will attend the conference which will conclude on October 3 when a new State Council and Secretary will be elected.

A seminar on “Federalism and Centre-State relations” will be held on Saturday. The seminar will be attended by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin. Eminent environmentalist Vandana Shiva  will inaugurate a seminar on “Gandhiji and Today’s India” at Ayyankali Hall on Sunday. Senior CPI leader Pannian Ravindran will  hoist the flag at Putharikandam at 4 p.m. on Friday. A public meeting to be held subsequently will be addressed by State secretary Kanam Rajendran. The meeting will be presided over by minister G R Anil. Pannian Ravindran, central secretariat member Binoy Viswam central executive member K E Ismail, ministers K Rajan, P. Prasad, J Chinchurani and   Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar is also expected to speak on the occasion.

Saturday’s function includes flag-hoisting by veteran party leader C Divakaran. The delegates’ session will be attended, besides general secretary D Raja, by senior leaders Atul Kumar Anjan, Binoy Viswam, Pannian Ravindran and K E Ismail.

Kanam, who addressed the press, did not rule out the possibility of his getting a third term as secretary. As per the Party norms, the state secretary can have up to three terms. Rajendran also rejected speculation about factionalism in the party. The party is not concerned or worried about possible elections in the State conference. The CPI, Kanam asserted, has always favoured inner-party democracy. True, certain district conferences witnessed contests. That does not mean there is factionalism in the party, said Kanam. “The CPI stands as one group. Rest is media speculation,” he opined.

At the same time, a few complaints received from delegates who attended district conferences will come up for discussion at the conference, admitted Kanam. The State secretary also claimed that the party was able to ensure 15 per cent representation for women in all committees.

The conference may also see a lively discussion on the age cap of 75 years for leaders in the State Council and Executive members. Reports have it that the proposal came in for criticism at the State Council meeting held the other day. If implemented, the proposal will see the exit of senior leaders like K E Ismail and C Divakaran from the official bodies.  A section in the party holds the view that the age criterion goes against the party’s constitution, which is silent on any such criterion.

However, State assistant secretary K Prakash Babu, who presented the organisational report, said since the decision was taken by the National Council, it will be implemented. He said the National Council took the decision on age cap to ensure greater representation for youth in party leadership.  Prakash Babu further said that since it is a National Council decision, it is not against the party’s constitution.

Be that as it may, there are indications that Kanam is all set to secure a third term as the state secretary. Reports say there is a lot going for Kanam, whose term as the party secretary saw the CPI growing from strength to strength.  The party has been able to increase its membership from 1.2 lakh in 2016 to 1.77 lakh now. As many as 57,000 new members have joined the party since Kanam took over as state secretary. This includes members from other parties, including the CPI(M). The party branches have gone up from 8,500 to 11,500.  There is another section which believes that though the party’s mass base has increased, its growth has not been what it should have been.  This being the ground reality, the urgent task before the new leadership will be the strengthening of the party organisation. The party needs to, among other things, set up units at booth level and in panchayat wards. No less important is the need to expand its base in north Kerala.

The political resolution to be adopted at the conference is likely to lay accent on the paramount need for opposition unity to counter the BJP at the national level. The conference will, in all probability, see the reiteration of the “Chandrappan Line” on the issue. Late state secretary of the party C K Chandrappan favoured understanding with all democratic and like-minded opposition parties including the Congress to achieve the goal of unseating the BJP from power at the Centre. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Is Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra losing focus during its Kerala leg? The answer to that question, unfortunately, has to be in the affirmative.

The Congress had started the yatra with the express objective of countering the BJP-led Union Government’s ‘divisive and anti-federal agenda. A laudable aim indeed. But, unfortunately, the yatra, during its 19-day long Kerala leg, has been more critical of the CPI(M)- led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government’s policies. This, the LDFF leaders feel, is totally unwarranted and defeated the very purpose of the yatra, which has, undoubtedly, energized lakhs of Congress activists not only in Kerala but also in other parts of the country. The raising of regional issues, instead of concentrating on larger issues like communal polarization, the politics of hatred and soaring unemployment, can only help the BJP-RSS combine. The aim, the LDF leaders feel, should be to isolate and defeat the forces of communalism and the majoritarian politics menacing the country’s cohesion and unity.

The LDF leaders are particularly peeved over the attack by a few Congress leaders, particularly senior party leader Jairam Ramesh’s outburst against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This was nothing but an insult of the Kerala CM, they pointed out. Also, the Congress leaders should bear in mind that in the battle against the BJP at the national level, the party’s effort should be to ensure total opposition unity. The CPI(M) is an important ally in this battle and any attempt to keep it out can only be beneficial to the BJP. CPI(M) leaders are particularly unhappy over Rahul’s meeting in Thiruvananthapuram with the Latin Catholic Archdiocese to highlight the coastal community’s agitation against the Vizhinjam port at the national level. Similarly, Rahul’s interaction with anti-SilverLine protesters has also not gone down well with the LDF.

It is gratifying, however, to note the measured response of CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan to the attacks of Congress leaders. He said the CPI(M), which is not against the yatra, would not go out of the way to criticize it. But it reserved its right to criticize it if and when the occasion demanded such a response. The CPI(M)’s only grouse, Govindan said, is that Rahul’s emphasis on local issues had relegated more serious national problems to the background.

Congress leaders, however, feel that the CPI(M) should also restrain its leaders from launching broadsides against the party and Rahul Gandhi. They cited, in defence of their argument, the CPI(M) tweet with Rahul’s caricature. Congress leaders said they thought that this is not being done without the knowledge of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. In fact, Rahul Gandhi shares a good rapport with Yechury, they opined. This being the ground reality, CPI(M) leaders should avoid personal attacks against Rahul. That was the burden of their song.

In fairness, it must be said that the CPI(M) has rightly justified its stand that the Congress should be more aggressive in its criticism of the Centre’s divisive policies. They are also aghast that the yatra is spending 19 days in a state where a Left Government is in power while it will spend only two days in Uttar Pradesh, the backbone of the BJP-RSS duo. There are reports that in response to the CPI(M)’s criticism, the Congress has decided to extend its Uttar Pradesh leg of the yatra by three more days. Even this is not enough. The yatra should spend at least 10 days in that State if it is really serious about making a strong and national anti-BJP impact. Such a stance would have deflected criticism that the Congress is not serious in its objective to counter the BJP. All is not lost. There is still time to apply the correctives. This is of paramount importance as the yatra has badly rattled the BJP. That is clear from the knee-jerk and nervous reaction of the BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah.

Last but not the least, the Congress should build on the momentum created by the yatra. The enthusiasm witnessed during Rahul’s yatra should be channelized into a people’s movement aimed at capturing power at the Centre. An essential pre-requisite in this Herculean task is a strong organisation which can measure up to the challenges posed by the mighty BJP juggernaut. It’s a golden opportunity for the Congress to revitalize the party and its organization. The party should bend all its energies to the task of getting the party into top shape and battle-ready to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government has deftly tossed the ball back to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s court by getting the State Assembly to pass, in quick succession, two bills, which had kicked up a controversy.

The first bill to be cleared by the Assembly was the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The bill will enable the State Assembly to take a decision on the Lok Ayukta’s verdict against the Chief Minister. The Bill saw heated discussions with the Opposition objecting to the Subjects Committee bringing in the amendments to the bill. The Speaker, however, issued a ruling rejecting the same. The gravamen of the Opposition’s charge is that the Bill will allow the Government to make the executive the appellate authority over the judiciary. The Government countered this charge by saying that the Lok Ayukta does not have judicial powers.

Leaving the Lok Ayukta verdict to the majority decisions unheard of, said Leader of the Opposition (LOP) V D Satheesan. Since the CM belongs to the majority party in the assembly, how will the report be accepted? That was the LOP’s poser. Likewise, once the CM is made the appellate authority, he will not approve adverse findings against his cabinet colleagues, Satheesan argued, adding that the Kerala amendment bill reduces the Lok Ayukta to the status of a advisory committee. The Opposition is silent, however, on the controversial section in the legislation which does not have a provision for appeal against the Lok Ayukta’s verdict. Even the Supreme Court does not enjoy such arbitrary powers. That is the Government’s stand, and hence the amendment.

Law Minister P Rajeeve cited High Court verdicts and a few cabinet decisions in his justification of the bill. He pointed out that the Lok Ayukta was only an investigating agency and does not enjoy judicial powers. He also said that the Lok Ayukta laws enacted in Maharashtra and Gujarat during the tenure of Congress governments have not included the Chief Minister under the purview of the Lok Ayukta! Moreover, the AK Antony Government in the State had decided against giving adjudicatory powers to the Lok Ayukta. Referring to the controversial section in the legislation, the minister said the section was unconstitutional. It was a wrong clause which had been followed for 23 years. The Government, he claimed, is only rectifying the same.

Now that the ball is in the Governor’s court, it remains to be seen what action he will take. He has three options. The Governor can sign the bill and avert further confrontation with the Government. He can send it back to the Government seeking further clarifications. The third option is that he can sit tight on the bill neither accepting nor rejecting it. Given the rift between the Governor and the government, the former is unlikely to sign it early. It may be mentioned that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is already on record that he would sign the bill only if he found them to be in accordance with the constitution.

The second bill the Assembly passed was the University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which proposes changes in the appointment process of Vice-Chancellors in state universities. The Opposition has accused the Government of trying to curtail the Governor’s role in the appointment of the VCs. The Government’s counter is that the bill does not in any way curtail the Governor’s role in the selection process.

The bill has been cleared with the key amendment brought in by the Government to replace the earlier clause that the Vice-Chairman of the State Higher Education Council would be a member of the VC selection committee and also its convener. According to Higher Education Minister R Bindhu, instead of the Higher Education Council vice-chairman, an education expert will be on the panel. She also clarified that the Government’s nominee will be the convener and not the council’s vice-chairman as proposed earlier. The official amendment is being construed as an attempt to mollify the Governor who had objected to the inclusion of the council’s vice-chairman in the panel. It amounted to violation of University Grants Commission guidelines, the Governor contends. It may be mentioned that, earlier, the panel had only three members – one of the Chancellor, another of the university senate and one of the VC.

The amendment brings in a nominee of the government and an academic nominated by the higher education council vice-chairman. This will enable the Government to have its say in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellors. And this is what the Opposition is objecting it to. The Chancellor can only appoint, opposition argued, the VC from a panel recommended by the selection committee. Since the Government has majority in the selection committee, the Governor will end up appointing only a VC, who is close to the Government. That is the crux of the Opposition’s argument.

Will the Governor sign the bills without delay? That is the million dollar question doing the rounds in the corridors of power. If the Governor opts to sit tight on the bills without signing it or refusing to send it back to the government, he will be accused of intensifying the standoff with the Government. Also, constitutional experts are divided on what the Governor can and will do under the circumstances. A section of experts say there is a limit beyond which the Governor cannot delay signing the bills. Such an act would be violative of the Constitution, which the Governor is duty-bound to uphold. The other section does not agree with this viewpoint. It cites the example of the Tamil Badu Governors who has refused to sign an important bill forwarded by the State Government for more than six months. This being the reality, how the Governor-Governor standoff will play out will be watched with keen interest. (IPA Service)

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By P. Sreekumaran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no doubt about it. Excise Minister and CPI(M) Central Committee member MV Govindan, who has been selected as the new secretary of the CPI(M) in Kerala , is the best man for the job.

Govindan, whose credentials for the top party post are impeccable, will replace Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who is stepping down because of ill-health. Kodiyeri has been shifted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai for treatment of his ailment. Although there were other contenders like A Vijayaraghavan, MA Baby and EP Jayarajan for the post, Kodiyeri’s preference for Govindan tilted the scales in the latter’s favour. Govindan Master, as he is fondly called by party cadres, is the fifth leader from Kannur to hold the party secretary post after EK Nayanar, Chadayan Govindan, Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. His choice once again proves the continued domination of the Kannur lobby in the party.

Govindan takes over as the party chief at a time when the CPI(M) and the government headed by it are facing a plethora of problems. Topping the list is the confrontation with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. The Governor, Govindan is of the firm view, must function within the parameters of the Constitution. He also made it clear that the party and the government would not be cowed down by any pressure. No less important is the responsibility to see that the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front(LDF) stages a spectacular comeback in the next Lok Sabha elections. The CPI(M) , it may be mentioned, had won only one Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Last but not the least, Govindan will have to ensure the synergy between the party and the government, which was the hallmark of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s tenure as the party chief.

A self-effacing man, Govindan can be tough as a toenail if the situation demands it. He is also known for his firm ideological commitment. Immensely popular among the party cadres, Govindan is a true proletarian. Govindan started his career as a Balasangham worker during his school days. He was the president of KSYF, the then youth organization of the CPI(M). He went on to become the first president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) when it was formed in 1980 He was arrested and jailed for four months during emergency. He is a three-time MLA from Thaliparamba. Govindan became the secretary of the Kannur district unit of the party. He was elected to the State committee in 1991 and elevated to the State Secretariat in 2006. He became a Central Committee member in 2018. Party congress of the CPI(M) .

Govindan is also known as the party’s trouble-shooter. He proved his mettle when the Ernakulam district unit of the party was passing through a difficult time. He was made incharge of the district, and managed to contain groupism besetting the Ernakulam unit. Because of his deep knowledge of party affairs and stature as a party ideologue, Govindan was made chief editor of the CPI(M)’s mouthpiece, Deshabhimani daily.

With Govindan taking over the reins of CPI(M), a Cabinet reshuffle becomes inevitable. The reshuffle could see Govindan being replaced by another leader from Kannur. There are two vacancies in the Cabinet at present. The berth vacated by Saji Cherian will have to be filled, too. And now with Govindan’s exit from the Cabinet, a new Excise and self-government minister will also need to be appointed.

Among the prominent names doing the rounds are two-time MLA from Kannur district, A N Shamseer, Alappuzha MLA P P Chittaranjan and Ponnai MLA P. Nandakumar. Speculation is also rife that two senior party leaders who were ministers in the first Pinarayi Vijayan Government could stage a comeback. They are former finance minister Thomas Isaac and former health minister and four-time MLA K K Shailaja. (IPA Service)

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