Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran CPM leader V. S. Achuthanandan has openly criticised the move of the government to grant magisterial powers to the police.
Speaking at the discussion on the Appropriation Bill in the assembly on Tuesday, the former chief minister said that what would happen if police gets magisterial powers should be viewed in the contest of recent incidents.
Obviously referring to the custodial death in Peerumedu, Mr Achuthanandan, who currently heads the administrative reforms panel, said the recent allegations against police should be seriously viewed.
"These kinds of incidents should not be allowed to happen again. Even if they are isolated incidents, they needed to be considered seriously. Both the BJP and the Congress was trying to make political gains," he said.
"However, if such incidents are controlled, the state would be at the top in law and order."
He also made an indirect attack on the way the issues that led to the suicide of an NRI businessman in the CPM-controlled Anthoor municipality saying that people's representatives should take care against lapses.
He said the development perspective ignoring farmers and the land connected with them would not lead to sustainable development.
