Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran CPM leader V.S. Achuthanandan has asked the central leadership of the party to remove power minister M.M. Mani from Cabinet in the wake of court rejecting his discharge petition in Anchery Baby murder case. In letter to CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, VS demanded that Mani who had been arraigned in murder case, should be sacked. His demand has put the CPM, which is backing Mani, in a tight spot. Achuthanandan’s statement also gains significance as the central committee of CPM is scheduled to meet in Thiruvananthpuram in the first week of January.
In a letter to the central leadership, Achuthanandan has pointed out that it was not appropriate to allow an accused in murder case to continue in Cabinet. The veteran has demanded Mani's resignation at a time when CPM and CPI leaders have come out in support of the minister. However, when contacted by media persons on Monday evening Achuthanandan neither confirmed nor denied the letter attributed to him.
The veteran leader has pointed out that Mani had no moral right to continue in office following the rejection of his discharge petition. Under these circumstances, keeping him in Cabinet would only dent the image of the LDF government. When asked about the letter written by Achuthanandan, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said he was not aware of it. “You better ask VS,” he told reporters. When asked whether it was appropriate for Mani to continue in the ministry, Kodiyeri reminded that he was an accused even at the time of contesting Assembly elections.
This case was registered during the UDF government’s tenure in 2012. The case was registered in connection with an incident that took place 30 years ago and that too for making a speech. “Mani was sent to jail for 50 days. High Court gave him bail,” Kodiyeri said, adding that there was no law which prevented people facing criminal cases from becoming ministers. Many people with criminal cases had occupied the post of ministers in the past, he pointed out.
