THIRUVANANTHAPRUAM: Five days after the horrendous fire tragedy IAS and IPS officers continue to play the blame game even as police officers, whose culpability is very clear, are being let off the hook. Many suspect that the cops are being protected to shield the politicians who had allegedly applied pressure on the cops to defy collector’s directive and allow competitive fire works in Puttingal Devi temple on Sunday.
Some of the local politicians who had allegedly stood for competitive fireworks, are now aggressively holding dharnas and protests demanding compensation for the affected people. Officials say the defiance of the orders of collector who enjoys magisterial powers has sent out wrong signals. They say if such tendencies are not curbed sternly, it could lead to situation of anarchy in the state.
Amid this dangerous trend, the order issued by Collector for public safety is being seen as the only silver lining. But there seems to be an attempt from certain quarters to shift the blame on her as well in an attempt to protect the wrong doers.
“Had I been in the collector’s position, I too would have taken such a stand in the best public interest,” said former chief secretary M Vijayanunni. He said the collector who took a strong stand to protect the public safety should be recognised and rewarded rather than being targeted.
Meanwhile, attempts are being made through selective leaks to divert the probe. Moreover the string of happenings witnessed post Paravur fire tragedy clearly indicated that there was an attempt to lead the probe into a wrong direction.
With the additional chief secretary (home) and DGP having serious differences over the role of cops and revenue officials, questions are already being raised about the impartiality of a probe headed by ADGP (Crimes). Meanwhile, CPM politburo member M. A. Baby has alleged that one of the ministers had directly intervened in influencing the police to allow competitive fireworks.
