“It is not abetment of suicide, it is straight forward murder. What has happened in the Hyderabad University is completely obnoxious. This is something that cannot be accepted and cannot be tolerated. This runs contrary to the fundamental feature of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, action should be taken against all those who are involved, including two Cabinet Ministers in the Centre, the Labour Minister, the HRD Minister and the Vice Chancellor.” This was CPM leader Sitaram Yechury speaking at the Hyderabad University campus. But the CPM leadership, both at the centre and the state, have been abetting the atrocities their cadres are perpetrating against a poor and hapless Pulaya (Dalit) woman, ever since 2004, which thoroughly exposes their duplicity. Here is the telling tale of CPM’s love and concern for the backward and underprivileged communities, from Payyanur in north Kerala.
Anyone going to the State Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram now-a-days, can never miss the sight of a backward caste woman, Chitralekha, sitting in dharna there, demanding redress of her grievance by the State overnment. What is her grievance? To get her Constitutional right to live and earn a livelihood restored. Chitralekha, a scheduled caste woman, residing at Edatte Eramangalam with her husband, Sreeshkant, their two children, and her grandmother, bought an autorickshaw in 2004, under the PMR Yojana. All she had at that time was a small piece of land to pledge as collateral security. When she sought a parking permit at the local auto stand, her request was turned down at the behest of CITU overlords, as she belonged to the backward Pulaya community. However, through her grit and relentless pursuit, she secured a parking pass from the authorities. But her effort to park the three-wheeler at the auto stand was again thwarted by the adamant trade union goons, for the reason that she was a Pulaya.
Not only that, they also started insulting her naming her caste. Once, she was even dragged out of her auto and was physically assaulted. When she fell on the ground, attempt was made to crush her under an auto so as to finish her off once and for all. Not satisfied with this, they set her three-wheeler on fire and burnt it down. Also, they physically assaulted her husband, his younger brother, Mahesh, and her sister’s husband. When the hapless woman approached the police to lodge a complaint, not only that her complaint was not accepted, she was as well insulted by the police authorities. Her failure to repay the loan further added to her woos. Nobody came to her rescue. Exasperated, she sat in dharna before the District Collectorate at Kannur. Even the human rights activists did not come to her rescue for fear of retribution by the CPM goons.
At long last, the police out of public pressure registered an FIR against the perpetrators of the crime, under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This could not bring her any relief. By that time, her son, Manu, had to drop out from the school and seek some menial job to support the family. An Action Council formed to highlight her grievance and reach her succour, in no time became inactive for fear of the CITU goons. When the case related to burning of her auto and physical assault reached the Sessions Court, Thalassery, pressure was brought on the police to dilute the case. The CPM even shamelessly took out protest marches to portray her as a troublesome lady.
On the 122nd day of her dharna, the state Chief Minister, who came to meet her, offered to allot her five cents of land in a nearby Panchayat of the township. But that assurance also did not materialise. Then, out of sheer compulsion, she shifted the venue of her dharna to the State Secretariat. Nobody knows what fate awaits her in the given circumstances in which the State Chief Minister himself is under a cloud because of the solar scam and is under tremendous pressure from the CPM to resign.
KV Vishnu
It appears that CPM’s political violence has begun to reap the whirlwinds after several years of sowing the wind. Kerala High Court ordered CBI on January 9 to conduct further investigations into the young Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) worker Abdul Shukur. The court chose strong words to criticise the State police for excluding CPM stalwart P Jayarajan and party MLA TV Rajesh from the conspiracy charges. The Court severely criticised the State Government after the Director General of Prosecution confessed that proper probe could not be conducted due to CPM’s intimidatory tactics.
“If self-proclaimed kings of a locality are permitted to rule in the matter of investigation, criminal justice will become a casualty in their hands. The courts cannot remain as mute spectators to such intimidatory tactics”, the High Court observed. Government’s confession hurts the conscience of the Court. Court was considering a petition filed by Shukur’s mother. Court order was in the light of the power granted by the Constitution (Article 226) to issue a writ as well as its inherent power (as per CPC). The Court’s strong dissatisfaction was due to excluding Jayarajan and Rajesh even though it was alleged that both were present in a hospital room where the alleged conspiracy was hatched. But, four others who were in the room were charged for conspiracy.
T Satisan
A Dalit girl student attempted to commit suicide due to psychological torture by SFI activists
Police has registered cases against six SFI activists in connection with the suicide attempt made by a Dalit girl student near Kochi. The second year Mohiniyattam student of RLV Arts College, Thrippunithrua attempted to commit suicide due to the alleged psychological torture by SFI activists. Now, the college has been closed by the authorities due to SFI-ABVP clashes in connection with the incident. The girl has been admitted to Kottayam Medical College Hospital and is under intensive care.
It has been reported that the girl had given witness statement to the college Principal concerning a clash between two groups of students a few months back. Since then SFI workers had been harassing her. She had also reportedly complained to the Principal against an SFI leader for indecent behaviour. Then SFI activists trespassed into the ladies’ hostel of the college and pasted posters with derogative and bad comments about her. Even though her engagement ceremony was over, this poster campaign resulted in the cancellation of her wedding. Naturally, the girl complained to the Principal about the poster campaign.
But the local people allege that the Principal and the teachers belonging to the Left-oriented teachers’ union tried to protect the SFI workers and shouted at the girl. This incident was too much for her to bear. That night she consumed sleeping pills in over dose. Organiser learns that the girl had left a suicide note which contains the names of few SFI workers who harassed her.
T Satisan
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