Jishnu Pranoy death: CPI hits out at police action

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI has called for immediate corrective measures to rein in the DGP and policemen who were acting against the LDF government’s policy. CPI national executive member Annie Raja said the cops responsible ill-treating Mahija and other members of the family should be dealt with sternly. Strong action should be taken against them. She said it was high time the government examined whether the police was pursuing the LDF police policy or some other policy.

On the repeated statements being made by the police that Mahija had caused a major violation by holding a protest in front of the police headquarters, she asked; “Is the DGP’s office sanctum sanctorum to keep it out of bounds for the ordinary people. CPI leaders also accused a section of CPM for shielding the cops without realising the groundswell of people’s protest against their highhandedness. Meanwhile, former CPM general secretary Prakash Karat reminded LDF constituents, particularly the CPI that they were not in Opposition. His reaction came in the wake of questions raised by media about CPI publicly criticising the police.

CPI has totally distanced itself from the position taken by the government and the CPM. The party is not quite happy with the manner in which the government tried to justify the police through public relations department advertisement. The CPI wants the government to understand the public sentiment on the issue and not get too much engaged with the politics being played by the Congress and BJP. The government should not snap the direct communication with the family.