THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: By pointing fingers at the police for the political tensions in the state capital, the CPM is allegedly giving a message to them to fall in their line. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, LDF convener Vaikom Viswan and Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran were among those who allege police lapses in dealing with political clashes. The leaders of the ruling party itself pointing fingers at the police directly controlled by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan raised many an eyebrow, quite naturally. According to police sources, it is a tightrope walk for the officers, especially the IPS cadres, in dealing with CPM - BJP/RSS clashes as the CPM is in power in the state and the BJP in New Delhi. In this case, there is pressure from CPM to invoke attempted murder charges against BJP councillors for the 'attack' on mayor V. K. Prasanth.
But the video footage of the incident itself could disprove any murder attempt. Hence no upright police officer could follow the ruling party diktats as it would boomerang on them, an officer said. "There might be resistance from senior officers in toeing the line of the CPM. That might be the reason why CPM accuses the police of lapses. It could be nothing but a strategy to make the top cops fall in their line," a retired IPS officer said. Meanwhile, the police lament over the restrictions imposed by the LDF government on invoking Goonda Act.
"There were times when even up to 150 preventive detention orders under the Goonda Act were invoked in the state capital alone in a year. But after the LDF came to power, the CM cautioned cops against its misuse against political activists. After that, district collectors became reluctant to accept police requests for invoking Goonda Act. There is also laxity on the part of the police in it," said another senior police officer.
