Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has justified the police action against Jishnu Prannoy’s mother Mahija Ashokan, saying that his government will always be with the family and “will ensure care and attention for the mother who lost her child.”
Addressing an election rally at Chelari near Calicut University on Thursday, Mr. Vijayan defended the police saying that they did not deny permission for Mahija to meet the police chief. He said the police had prevented only those who tried to force themselves in along with Jishnu’s family.
Mahija along with her relatives had approached the police chief on Wednesday seeking justice for her son.
The Chief Minister said that his government had done everything possible to ensure justice for the family. The police action against Mahija while protesting in front of the police headquarters sparked a series of protests, culminating in a State-wide hartal by the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday.
Mr. Vijayan said the government had acted proactively to the demands raised by Jishnu’s family. He said the government appointed the public prosecutor demanded by the family, and appointed a committee to study the issues of self-financing colleges.
He said Jishnu’s parents had met him, and never did they blame the government. He said the State Police Chief had given permission to Jishnu’s mother to meet him. As she could not meet him, he went and met her at the hospital, said the Chief Minister.
Mr. Vijayan denied the allegation that the police had dragged and beaten Mahija. “The visual media showed you how the police lifted the mother,” he said.
