In his absence, Communist Party of India State secretary Kanam Rajendran drew sharp criticism from his party men at the Ernakulam district executive committee meeting on Friday.
Strong words were used by some members to attack Mr. Rajendran for maintaining a deafening silence initially over party workers, including legislator Eldho Abraham, getting batoncharged by the police during a protest early this week and also for making what came across as disparaging comments about those who took part in the march.
“The comments were inopportune and put the workers who took out the march in a spot,” said a senior leader.
The meeting raised concern about the scope of the inquiry being conducted by the District Collector into the incident.
“If the inquiry report being submitted by Collector S. Suhas on Monday is not satisfactory, fresh probe must be ordered in a fortnight. The district executive will meet again on August 2 to discuss the issue,” he said.
The apathetic stance of the CPI(M) towards the CPI was also raised at the executive meeting.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Rajendran attended the zonal meeting for Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts to report the decisions of the National Council and left for Kannur amidst criticism that he skipped the district executive meeting.
“I was not supposed to attend that in the first place and am leaving for Kannur to attend the zonal meeting for Kannur and Kasaragod on Saturday,” he told The Hindu .
Mr. Rajendran said a section of the media played up his comments without the context.
“When asked whether there was a conspiracy behind the police action, I said the police hadn’t gone to anyone’s house to beat him up. But they cleverly concealed the question.”
On the ‘Save CPI’ posters critical of Mr. Rajendran in Alappuzha, he said those would not have been stuck there by party workers.
Informal meeting
Meanwhile, Eldo Abraham, MLA, who was injured in the police action, met Mr. Rajendran at Aluva. He said it was an informal meeting.
“He is my party’s secretary and he knows what has happened. I’m sure it will all be clear with the Collector submitting his report. A legislator is also a party worker and when the party takes up an issue and protests, a worker regardless of his position has to take part in it,” he said.
