Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai has severely criticized the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, for not protesting against the arrest and detention of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the Emergency.
In his two recently released books, Governor Pillai includes a section featuring Chief Minister Vijayan during the Emergency, depicting him being arrested and detained in his innerwear. The Governor noted that the CPM, especially in its stronghold Kannur, did not protest against Vijayan’s treatment during the Emergency, attributing this to fear.
“I wonder why was there no protest by the CPM in its stronghold Kannur against this,” said Governor Pillai.
This criticism comes at a time when the CPM and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by Vijayan have been embroiled in various political controversies. The LDF, which came to power in Kerala in 2016, has faced multiple protests and allegations of authoritarian rule and suppression of dissenting voices.
Meanwhile, the CPM has expressed disappointment over the Governor’s statements, stating that they are baseless and lack factual evidence. Syed Abdul Nazeer, a senior CPM leader from Kannur, said that the party would not be deterred by such allegations and would continue to fight for the rights of the people of Kerala.
The events surrounding the Emergency period in Kerala remain a subject of debate and controversy, with many questions being raised about the treatment of political dissidents during that time. The Kerala government under Vijayan has been accused by the opposition of trying to rewrite history and gloss over the darker aspects of the state’s past.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this latest criticism from Governor Pillai will impact the political landscape of Kerala in the coming days. Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
