The report of Inspector General of Police Manoj Abraham into the alleged atrocities against Jishnu Pranoy’s mother Mahija Ashokan and other relatives in front of the State Police Chief’s office here adheres to the script written by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has said.
The Chief Minister after entrusting Mr. Abraham with the probe had “pronounced the verdict,” so it was evident to all that there would be nothing new in it, Mr. Chennithala said.
He was speaking after inaugurating an indefinite fast by Mahila Congress State president Bindu Krishna, political affairs committee member Shanimol Usman, and KPCC general secretary Lathika Subhash in solidarity with Jishnu’s family in front of the Secretariat on Sunday morning.
Mr. Chennithala said the report was a conspiracy by the government to suppress the agitation by Jishnu’s family. “This report is not acceptable. We strongly oppose it. I again appeal to the government to take action against the police officers who attacked Mahija,” Mr. Chennithala said.
The government, he said, had failed to be moved by the plight of a mother who had lost her son and was demanding that those behind his death be brought to book. Repeated pleas by the family had no impact.
The State Police Chief had failed to keep his word that those guilty would be arrested in a week. Only then had the family decided to protest in front of his office. “Is it a crime to protest in front of the State Police Chief’s office?” Mr. Chennithala asked.
The Chief Minister, he alleged, did not feel the prick of conscience as he did not have any conscience. “Mr. Vijayan is trying to defend those who attacked Mahija. Instead of bringing out an advertisement by spending lakhs of rupees to defend his government’s stance, all he had to do was meet Mahija and assure her of action in her son’s case,” Mr. Chennithala said.
“The police in the State are capable. They are not to be blamed. It is the government’s policy that is to be blamed,” Mr. Chennithala said.
People’s rights were being trampled upon, he said. “Are things coming to such a pass that false cases will be foisted against anyone who speaks out against the Chief Minister and they will be hauled to jail? Should the people allow this to continue?” he said.
Congress leader K. Muraleedharan and Ms Krishna, Ms. Usman, and Ms. Subhash spoke.
