CPM tells off Sandhya, Kochouseph

Thiruvananthapuram: Though the LDF has made way for local residents at Devaswom Board junction following Sandhya’s protest, top leaders of the CPM have not taken kindly to the dressing down given by the homemaker to the leaders in full public view for blocking the road.

While inaugurating the LDF Cliff House siege on Saturday, CPM state secretariat member Baby John compared the homemaker to Tarika, demon in Ramayana, who was demonstrating Saritha energy. He hit out at industrialist Kochouseph Chittilapilly for announcing an award of '5 lakh for Sandhya and referred to him as ‘Chettalapilly.’

His criticism comes close on the heels of another secretariat member Anathalavattom Anandan’s allegation that Sandhya was acting at the behest of the Congress and that she was Oommen Chandy’s supporter. Clearly, the CPM leaders’ diatribe has exposed the intolerance of a section of Marxists.

On the sixth day of the siege on Saturday, LDF workers representing Vamanapuram Assembly constituency marched from Raj Bhavan to the Devaswom Board junction and staged a protest.

Reacting to the criticism, Sandhya’s husband Suresh Kumar said the political leaders were free to react as they wanted. “Our fight is not against any political party or leader. We raised an issue on behalf of the local people and only sought freedom of movement. We don’t belong to any political party nor do we have any enmity with anyone,” he said.