The Hindu : Vakkom remarks: Murali writes to high command

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Thursday, Jun 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Vakkom remarks: Murali writes to high command

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 18. The KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, said here today that he had written to the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi and the AICC general secretary, Ahmed Patel, bringing to their notice the controversial and inappropriate statements of the Assembly Speaker, Vakkom Purushothaman.

Replying to questions at a face-to-face programme `Paksham- Marupaksham', organised by the Kesari Memorial Journalist Trust, Mr. Muraleedharan said that the Speaker had so far not replied to the basic issue he had raised with regard to his impartiality.

``The basic issue is whether it was appropriate for a person who occupies the Speaker's chair to make remarks which amounted to interference with the day-to-day affairs of the party. It is a well accepted fact that the Speaker is a political being and he is elected to the post by the ruling majority. But once he becomes a Speaker, he does not usually interfere with the day-to- day affairs of the party though he might have his own political perceptions about political developments.

``There have been occasions when the Speaker's impartiality have been questioned. If at all he has an opinion to make, the usual practice was to write to the party president or other office-bearers. Mr. Purushothaman's public expression of his opinions is inappropriate and I still hold this view,'' he said.

Mr. Muraleedharan admitted that he had become KPCC president on the strength of his factional affiliations. He said that all those who reach important positions owe it to their factional loyalties, and Mr. Purushothaman too had been a beneficiary on several occasions. ``If he does strongly feel about the state of affairs of the party, he should remit office. If he does so, the KPCC would be only too willing to extend full support,'' he said. When asked whether he was demanding the Speaker's resignation, Mr. Muraleedharan replied in the negative, but pointed out that Mr. Purushothaman's remarks were not impartial.

When asked whether disciplinary action was being contemplated, Mr. Muraleedharan said that Mr. Vakkam Purushothaman was only an active member of the party since becoming the Speaker and did not hold any office.

Mr. Muraleedharan said that the Congress MP, V. M. Sudheeran's agitation against the mineral sand-mining project cannot be construed as violation of party discipline. ``Mr. Sudheeran has joined an agitation which relates to a purely regional issue. The agitation is not against the Government or the Congress party,'' he said, but added that all agitations should have been given up till the proposed expert committee submitted its report.

He admitted that Mr. Sudheeran had opposed the proposal for setting up an expert committee at the KPCC meet. ``But the recommendation was formulated on the basis of the majority opinion,'' he said.

On the Marad issue, he said that the KPCC was of the opinion that the rehabilitation of the affected persons should be taken up immediately. He wanted the Government to create conditions which would enable the various sections to live fearlessly.

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Vakkom remarks: Murali writes to high command