The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued their attack on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] on Sunday, accusing it of trying to shield student leaders facing serious charges of malpractices and, even as CPI(M) leaders again put up a stout defence, alleging a political hate campaign against its student wing, the Students Federation of India (SFI).
The Opposition also slammed the CPI(M) for arraigning the reporter of a news channel as an accused in the FIR registered by the police based on a complaint filed by SFI State secretary P.M. Arsho, alleging a conspiracy to malign him by reporting that he had cleared an examination that he had not written. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran called it a bid to muzzle the media while BJP State president K. Surendran urged CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury to clarify his stance on the move to quell free speech and bridle the media.
Mr. Satheesan also said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala was replicating the Sangh Parivar strategy of silencing critics through intimidation.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the government and the police were trying to hoodwink the public by providing a safe house for former SFI leader K. Vidya who is facing charges of forging an experience certificate to get appointment as a guest lecturer in a government college at Attapady. He said the police had failed to come up with evidence against Vidya.
‘Based on complaint’
Talking to reporters earlier in the day, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan said the government was not against the media, but would not spare those involved in the hate campaign against the party or its student wing. Minister for Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh said the FIR against the news channel reporter was based on a complaint received by the police and had nothing to do with gagging the media.
