: The All India Congress Committee on Wednesday stepped in to prevent the ongoing verbal duel between two leaders escalating into a major division in the party by clamping a ban on public statements on inner party affairs.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran, in the meantime, asked Kollam DCC president Bindu Krishna to inquire into the physical assault against Rajmohan Unnithan and take the appropriate action against the perpetrators.
Mr. Unnithan, who resigned as KPCC spokesperson the other day, was manhandled when he reached the Kollam DCC office on Wednesday to attend a function celebrating the 131st anniversary of the Congress. The attack was apparently connected to his rather acerbic remarks against K. Muraleedharan.
The high command line was announced by AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, who is in charge of Kerala, in New Delhi. He asked party leaders to express their views only in party fora which were the appropriate place for discussions on any issue.
The AICC has taken serious note of the public statements of certain leaders on inner party affairs. Such reactions were not acceptable since it will adversely affect the party’s functioning, Mr. Wasnik said.
His statement was preceded by that of Congress Working Committee member A.K. Antony who said that the developments related to the party in Kerala had not only pained him, but also hurt him.
He cautioned party leaders not to repeat such actions that would injure the party’s image. He hoped that 2017 will be a year of achievements and happiness. Congress workers in Kerala should focus on this objective in the coming days, rather than waste their time on unnecessary conflicts. He reminded the Congress workers that Kerala had a lot to contribute towards enabling the Congress party to come back into reckoning in national politics.
Mr. Sudheeran condemned the manhandling of Mr. Unnithan and observed that such an incident should never have occurred. But, he did not make any statements disowning Mr. Unnithan’s adverse comments against K. Muraleedharan, belying expectations of party workers that he would clarify his stand.
Instead, he made a call for unity in the party and stressed on the need to take up the big challenges before the party while addressing a function in the State capital on the occasion of the party’s anniversary celebrations.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala continued to maintain that it was natural for leaders in a democratic party to have different views.
Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy took a perceptibly different line, welcoming criticisms and self-criticisms as it would strengthen the party. The Congress’s democratic culture was to tolerate criticisms, which did not mean opposition, he said. Even though he did not say as much, Mr. Chandy statement had been interpreted as backing Mr. Muraleedharan’s views.
