Dubious moves - India Today
M. G. Radhakrishnan
()
December 8, 1997
Title: Dubious moves
Author: M. G. Radhakrishnan
Publication: India Today
Date: December 8, 1997
The withdrawal of the all India Democratic Women's Association and the
Democratic Youth Federation of India from the all-party joint Action Committee
(JAC)-formed to pressure the Government into speedy investigation of the
Kozhikode sex racket case-has led to accusations that the CPI(M)-led ruling
LDF was trying to shield the guilty. The two organisations have alleged that
the JAC was trying to implicate the Government for political reasons. Retorts
K. Ajitha of Anveshi, which exposed the racket operating under the guise of an
ice-cream parlour: "The withdrawal of the CPI(M)-led organisations from the
JAC smacks of political motives."
This allegation has come despite the expulsion of two of the accused-T.P
Dasan of the CPI(M) and O. Rajagopal of the CPI-from their parties. The
Government has, however, been charged with shielding a former minister
belonging to the Muslim League-a UDF partner-allegedly as a return gesture
of goodwill. After the sex scandal surfaced, the League has become even
more conciliatory and called off a number of protest programmes against the
Government. However, the Indian National League, the People's
Democratic Party and a faction of the Congress have demanded the arrest of
the guilty.
Anveshi has now filed an appeal in the high court seeking judicial monitoring
of the case. This will surely add zest to what is turning out to be a political
drama.
