Left Democratic Front (LDF) independent legislator P.V. Anvar met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in person at the government Secretariat on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) days after he put the administration in a spot by airing bombshell accusations of corruption, criminality, illegal amassment of wealth and nepotism against Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, M.R. Ajith Kumar.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the MLA hostel, Mr. Anvar sought to put the onus firmly in the government’s and the CPI(M)‘s side. He said he had submitted proof validating his charges to Mr. Vijayan as “one comrade to another” and that it was for the government to act on his complaint.
Mr. Anvar said he suggested no course of action or made any demands, including the removal of Mr. Kumar from the top post. “The communist government accurately gauges public sentiment and would do the needful”, he added.
Notably, Mr. Anvar had also blamed Mr. Vijayan’s political secretary and CPI(M) State committee member P. Sasi for giving Mr. Kumar “free rein” over the police by repeatedly ignoring the red flags and cautionary reports that should have warned the government about the top-ranking officer’s “questionable conduct.” Mr. Anvar accused Mr. Sasi of failing Mr. Vijayan.
When asked whether he had changed his position on Mr. Sasi’s role as the Chief Minister’s political secretary, Mr. Anvar said he would meet CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan.
Mr. Anwar said the first phase of his campaign to “rid law enforcement of wrongdoers and officers who strive to stoke public resentment against the government” had ended, signalling a ceasefire, at least for now.
Support for Anvar in CPI(M)
Meanwhile, Mr. Anvar found some support in the CPI(M). In a Facebook post, party’s legislator U. Prathibha expressed her solidarity with Mr. Anvar. She cautioned Mr. Anvar that the latter was taking on a “powerful group”. In Kannur, LDF convenor T.P. Ramakrishnan said the party and the government would also examine the accusations raised by Mr. Anvar against Mr. Sasi.
LDF independent legislator K.T. Jaleel and former LDF MLA Karat Razak had earlier expressed solidarity with Mr. Anvar.
Mr. Anwar, who likened Mr. Kumar to underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim, claimed he had risked his life ferreting incriminating information about the ranking officer to shield Mr. Vijayan politically.
Probe is a sham: Opposition
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala and BJP State president K. Surendran termed the government’s investigation into Mr. Anvar’s accusations “a sham.”
Given the gravity of Mr. Anvar’s accusations against the police and the government, the Congress demanded a judicial probe against the Chief Minister’s Office, while the BJP demanded a CBI inquiry.
Both Opposition parties urged the government to remove Mr. Kumar from the top post to facilitate a free and fair investigation.
They pointed out that the government order said the probe would also cover Mr. Kumar’s complaint and Mr. Anvar’s accusations in Malappuram.
The leaders said Mr. Vijayan has allowed Mr. Kumar to continue in the top post and ensured the ranking officer’s immediate subordinates led the probe.
Both Opposition parties said the government had limited its action against Sujith Das, former District Police Chief, Pathanamthitta, who allegedly disparaged Mr. Sasi and Mr. Kumar, by merely asking the officer to report at the police headquarters.
The Congress and the BJP termed the State Police Chief, Sheikh Darvesh Sahib, who is tasked to supervise the probe, “a figurehead” under the current political disposition. They threatened to launch street protests if the government shielded the alleged wrongdoers.
The Opposition parties said the ruling front legislator had accused the Chief Minister’s Office of grave offences, including murders, disappearances, self-enrichment and gold smuggling.
Mr. Anvar’s statements, the Congress and BJP claimed, had caused a chilling effect on society and triggered a public outcry.
Thrissur Pooram conspiracy
Notably, the Congress and the CPI have accused some officers in law enforcement of scuttling Thrissur Pooram to aid the BJP’s cause by inciting Hindu majoritarian sentiment on the eve of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
V.S. Sunil Kumar, CPI leader and LDF’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections candidate in Thrissur, and K. Muraleedharan, UDF’s candidate from Thrissur, were on the same page.
Both said they suspected a conspiracy and demanded the government publish the report of the inquiry committee that probed the incident. Mr. Muraleedharan attempted to lay the blame at Mr. Vijayan’s doorstep.
He alleged that Mr. Vijayan had ensured disarray in the festival’s conduct to aid the BJP as a quid pro quo for the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) slow progress in its probe into the CPI(M)-controlled Karuvannur cooperative bank scam.
