Opposition Leader V D Satheesan on Friday said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be hauled to court for what he termed the Chief Minister's "call to mutiny". Satheesan was referring to the Chief Minister's open endorsement of DYFI workers who had smashed flowerpots and helmets on the heads of Youth Congress workers waving black flags as the Chief Minister's Nava Kerala Sadas cavalcade swept past them at Kalliassery in Kannur on November 21.
Satheesan said that the Chief Minister was standing by his words even after the police had registered an FIR. "The FIR clearly says it was an attempt to murder," the Opposition leader said. He said the violence was so brutal that one of the Youth Congress workers had lost hearing on one side, another had internal bleeding, and a female worker had her arm broken. "Even after all this, he considers this exemplary and exhorts his cadres to persist with it," Satheesan said.
The Opposition Leader was least apologetic about terming the Chief Minister as someone with a criminal mindset.
"What is wrong in describing such a person as one with a criminal mindset? Why am I in this position if I can't use strong words to counter the irresponsible and dangerous utterances made by a person holding the Chief Minister's post with the clear intention of inciting violence," Satheesan said.
Pinarayi had said that Satheesan's comments did not sit well with the post he was holding. CPM state secretary M V Govindan, too, had taken strong exception to Satheesan's words saying that such “undignified language” was the result of the 'Kanugolu theory' adopted by the Congress; Sunil Kanugolu is Congress's chief poll strategist.
Satheesan said that besides the police complaint already filed, the UDF would file another complaint with the Ernakulam City Commissioner. "If no action is taken, we will go to court," Satheesan said.
The UDF also plans to initiate legal action against additional chief secretary (LSGD) Sarada Muraleedharan for issuing an order that allowed local bodies to sanction money from their own funds for Nava Kerala Sadas. "Neither the state government nor its officials are legally authorised to direct local bodies to part with their own funds," Satheesan said.
He said that under the Kerala Municipal Act, 1994, the government's powers over local bodies had been drastically curtailed. He said that the government was forcing local bodies to part with their funds to organise various government programmes other than Nava Kerala Sadas. As example, he cited the Saras Mela in Kochi. Local bodies in Ernakulam district have been asked to spare funds for the event, Satheesan said.
"These local bodies are being asked to part with their funds at a time when they are finding it hard to pay even welfare pensions and salaries," the Opposition Leader said.
Earlier, while speaking at the Nava Kerala Sadas held in Vadakara constituency, the Chief Minister had hurled a counter argument. Pinarayi had said that the opposition leader had threatened the secretary of the Paravur Municipality for sanctioning funds for Nava Kerala Sadas.
Satheesan said that the secretary of the Municipality had sanctioned the funds in defiance of the decision taken at the emergency meeting of the council. He refuted the charge of intimidation.
Satheesan said that the secretary told him that he was made to sanction the amount under duress. The secretary was on probation and certain officials in the LSGD minister's office and senior officials warned him that his probation would not be cleared if the money was not sanctioned.
"So the threat was not made by me, but by the minister's office and some senior officials in the Local Self Government Department," the opposition leader said.
He also referred to section 15 of the Municipality Act, 1994, to emphasise that the chairperson was the highest authority and the secretary was bound to comply with her orders. Further, citing 15 3(d) of the Act, Satheesan said that the chairperson alone had the power to authorise the payment of money related to the Municipality.
Again, referring to section 49 (b) of the Act, Satheesan said that a Secretary's job was to implement the resolutions of the Council and the Standing Committee.
