Kerala caught in Marxist intolerance
Kerala caught in Marxist intolerance
T.K. Devasla
The Observer of Business and Politics
December 17, 1999
Title: Kerala caught
in Marxist intolerance
Author: T.K.Devasla
Publication: The Observer
Date: December 17, 1999
The political violence
that has rocked north Kerala's Kannur district has had devastating effects
not only on the state politics, but also on the state police force.
Though chief minister
E K Nayanar's peace conference has brought an end to the spate of violence
temporarily, no one thinks that the peace will stay. So far, the violence
has claimed seven lives in all.
People fear that this
cult of violence would spread to other parts of the state and corrupt Kerala's
polity.
The political intolerance
manifest in the violence is not confined to Kannur. Often during elections,
political parties cause trouble deliberately when they see that the going
is not in their favour. While intimidation of voters takes place openly
in local bodies during co-operative elections, the situation is the worst
in schools and colleges.
The month-long agitation
by the Congress-led United Democratic Front against CPI(M)'s attempt to
scuttle a no-confidence motion against the CPI(M) administration in Payyavur
panchayat did not yield result. The Congress had to finally seek help from
the High Court to set right this "democratic negation". But this did not
hinder the CPI(M) from staging similar dramas in other local bodies and
co-operative institutions.
As regards campus politics,
there are several schools and colleges in the state where students organisations,
affiliated to particular political parties, are not allowed even to take
part in the elections, let alone carrying out organisational activities.
One students organisation
has been treating the University College in Thiruvananthapuram as its private
fiefdom for several years now.
Members of other student
political parties do not even dare to file their nominations in elections
to the student's union in University College. The patronage the organisation
in power in University College receives from the government and the official
machinery when their party is in power has slowly turned the students of
this party into virtual terrorists.
There have been several
cases of SFI going on rampage in campuses where the authorities have rejected
their demands. The principal of the Nirmalagiri College was manhandled
when he refused to reinstate four expelled SFI students. The agitation
going on for a similar demand in S N College at Kollam is also pregnant
with violence.
The militancy of trade
unions in Kerala has gained notoriety the world over and investors are
wary to invest here. The government's attempt to discipline the trade unions
has had some success lately. Yet, It has not been able to change the perception
of investors.
The crux of the problem
in Kannur has been the denial of organisational freedom by CPI(M) to its
rival parties. The violence there has mainly come about as a result of
CPI(M)'s attempts to curb the RSS and BJP activities.
Unfortunately, senior
CPI(M) leaders are not ready to recognise the democratic right of other
parties to carry out organisational activities in Kannur. It may be recalled
that CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had opposed the proposal for
making a provision in the peace accord, reached at the all-party conference
convened by the Chief Minister at Kannur, for parties to carry out organisational
activities unhindered.
Curiously, the state
government has proposed an amendment in the police act to curb the training
being imparted to party cadres for countering attacks and also for self-defence.
The Sangh Parivar views it as a clear move against the RSS drills.
Clashes are bound to
recur if any party tries to hamper the organisational right of rival parties.
Unfortunately, the concerned parties have not felt the need for this.
Another sad offshoot
of the Kannur incidents has been the tendency by the police to shirk their
responsibility. The police as a whole demonstrated an indifference to the
raging violence. They did not pick up arms even when the attack was directed
against them. The police personnel remained a mute witness when two DSPs
were attacked and a police van carrying cash was burnt in Kannur.
Policemen, put on duty
in the violence-affected areas, candidly said that they wore afraid to
use force as it would bring disastrous consequences. Subsequently. "We
have families to take care of. We cannot risk our jobs that help us earn
our bread," said a senior police official at Panur, the scene of the amen
murders. He said that they could have stopped the killings if they had
used force in the first instance. Unfortunately, we feel our hands are
chained, he added.
In fact, one reason for
the continuation of killings in Kannur has been the firm belief by rival
parties that the police would not respond. The police personnel are apparently
afraid to use force after the case registered against 14 police personnel,
including an officer of the rank of SP (Superintendent of Police), in connection
with the Koothuparampu police firing.
Police personnel connected
with the firing on CPI(M) activists at Koothuparampu are facing murder
charges. Some of them were arrested and put behind bars. Incidentally,
the Koothuparmpu incident had also been borne out of the political intolerance
of CPI(M).
The police was ordered
to open fire when the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) tried
to disrupt a function of former CPI(M) rebel and Communist Marxist Party
leader M.V.Raghavan.
While the Koothuparampu
case had left the police totally demoralised, the Inspector General's direction
in the wake of the Koothuparampu controversy that juniors are not expected
to carry out the improper orders of their superiors has left the police
totally confused.
The authorities are unaware
at the moment as to what would lift the moral of the police. Though the
DGP has recently come out with a circular empowering the police to use
force when situation warrants, many feel that it needs a lot of other measures
to clear the rot that has set in.
It needs a strong will
on the part of political parties to treat the ills of Kannur. Unfortunately,
none seem bothered about a permanent cure.
Back
Top
|
