It seems that ?Lord Saturn? has caught Kerala CPM by its neck and is not prepared to leave it in the near future, as problems after problems are plaguing the party, even threatening a split between the Pinarayi Vijayan and V.S. Atchudanandan factions.
When Pinarayi-V.S. war is in ?smart-bomb, cluster-bomb and carpet-bombing mode?, three decisive Kerala High Court verdicts against Pinarayi Vijayan, M.A. Baby and SFI have rattled the CPM and they, in turn, have declared war on the Kerala High Court.
Earlier this month a division bench of the Kerala High Court headed by Chief Justice V.K. Bali struck down the Self Financing College (Professional) Act piloted by Pinarayi'sideologue and Education Minister M.A. Baby. This act was hastily promulgated as on ordinance for CPM'scontrol of professional colleges in Kerala and organised Christian and Muslim bodies had come into the streets opposing the act. Pinarayi's?monkey brigade? SFI had attacked and damaged crores worth of property of Christian and Muslim institutions, to silence them and force them to submission.
A month earlier the Kerala High Court had banned politics in campuses of Kerala and this was a great setback to the SFI which was imposing its hegemony on educational institutions through its political, muscle and goonda power.
When the CPM-SFI was trying to gauge the impact of these judicial verdicts, then came the ultimate bombshell. The division bench of the Kerala High Court consisting of Chief Justice V.K. Bali and Justice J.B. Koshy in a landmark and startling judgment on January 16 ordered a CBI probe on the SNC-Lavalin scam of Rs. 375 crore, for renovation of Panniyar, Sengulam and Pallivasal hydro-electric projects, in which Pinarayi, as former Electricity Minister, is involved. The order to the Canadian firm was given in 1995 when Pinarayi was Power Minister in the E.K. Nayanar regime. The Oommen Chandy government ordered a vigilance and later a CBI probe. Pinarayi, Karat etc. influenced CBI not to take up the case, as vigilance probe is already on. Even CBI'sletter to state, seeking its opinion, did not get a reply due to Pinarayi'sclout.
The High Court in the decisive verdict says, ?It will be a travesty of justice, if in a scandal of massive nature (Rs.375 crore), only small fries are tried as accused, which in our view will be an eye-wash. Also, a government is a continuing feature of the Constitution. Probe ordered by one regime cannot be nullified by the other.?
Ignited by the adverse verdict in the SNC-Lavalin issue, Pinarayi Vijayan has declared war on the High Court and Justice V.K. Bali. SFI activists and CPM goondas are daily marching to the High Court protesting against its verdicts. Earlier also CPM had attacked judiciary and burned effigies of judges, when the butchers of BJYM leader Jayakrishnan were given death sentence.
Pinarayi in a visit to the Muringoor Christian Convention Centre on January 20 attacked the Court for directing the police to inspect the place and report to it directly, instead of routing it through government. Pinarayi also charged that police excesses were done with the support of judiciary. He also recalled Thrissur Archbishop'sstatement that church is not anti-CPM. Earlier Pinarayi had visited the Markaz of Kanthapuram Musaliar and declared CPM is not anti-Islam and Karat had delivered Bishop Paulose Mar Paulose lecture and declared church should join with CPM to oppose RSS. But ironically Pinarayi'sKannur strongman and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had justified police raids on the centre, a few months back.
Anyway the happiest of the commies is V.S. His bete noire is under CBI probe and for the moment, will not plot his ouster. The HC verdict has become V.S.'s?Patriot? against Pinarayi's?Skud?. While Pinarayi is spitting fire on Justice V.K. Bali, V.S. has written a letter to President Kalam, describing him as an honest and upright judge fit to be elevated to the Supreme Court. My enemy'senemy, is my friend, goes the rule! (FOC)
