Kottayam: Former chief minister Oommen Chandy has charged chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan with insulting the people of the state by supporting power minister M.M. Mani who has made a controversial statement against women. Addressing a meeting in Munnar on Wednesday after visiting the Pompilai Orumai strikers, he asked whether the people of Kerala should tolerate a person like Mani who is abusing everyone. “The UDF wants the resignation of Mani. We will continue the agitation till he resigns. Mr Pinarayi is justifying Mani by saying that he had used ‘colloquial language.’ The people look at Pinarayi Vijayan with pain for supporting the obscene words uttered by Mani,” he said.
Mr Mani had made it a habit to speak insulting words against everyone. “Mani insulted a school principal and Mahija, mother of engineering student Jishnu Prannoy, recently. Who gave him the authority to abuse a government official?” Mr Chandy asked referring to Mr Mani’s abusive words against Devikulam sub-collector Sriram Venkitaraman. “Mani has crossed all limits and is even abusing mediapersons,” Mr Chandy said and demanded to know why the government had stopped action against the large-scale encroachments in Munnar.
Congress leaders Joseph Vazhakkan, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, E.M. Augusthy and P.C. Vishnunath among others were present on the occasion. Mr Chandy met ‘Pompila Oruma’ leaders disregarding the protest raised by senior Congress leader from Idukki district and KPCC vice-president A.K. Mani. Mr Mani, against whom allegations of land encroachments have been raised, met Mr Chandy at the guest house in Munnar and asked him not to meet the striking leaders as it would send a wrong message. However, Mr Chandy ignored him and visited the strikers.
