Deepak’s ‘unfounded’ remark draws the wrath of CPI(M)

DYFI leader resigns as KSCCW general secretary

Kerala State Council for Child Welfare (KSCCW) general secretary S.P. Deepak on Wednesday resigned from the post amid the furore sparked off by his ‘trumped-up’ statement last week that children of a needy family were constrained to eat mud to stave off hunger.

The Democratic Youth Federation of India leader's ‘revelation’ to mediapersons had come as a bolt out of the blue for the government, which scrambled to repudiate the Opposition's allegation that hunger remained a stark reality in Left Democratic Front-ruled Kerala.

An outraged public took to social media to target the government.

Mr. Deepak later told a news channel that he had visited the spot and learned the children had survived on ‘hot water’ and little else.

His statement appeared to belie the government's claim that it prioritised child welfare and was pro-poor.

The narrative that did not augur well for the government's image changed drastically when an investigation by the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights found that Mr. Deepak's claims were ‘phoney.’

The commission said the family was at times dysfunctional due to the drinking habits of the male parent, but the children never starved.

In a bid to mend the damage caused to the government, the district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] intervened in the matter. Its inquiry reportedly faulted Mr. Deepak for having discredited the government.

Explanation sought

The committee purportedly sought an explanation from Mr. Deepak.

The party's Vanchiyoor area committee said it had often helped the family tide over poverty.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reportedly took strong exception to Mr. Deepak's "unfounded" remarks and demanded his resignation. The Chief Minister is the president of the council.

A seemingly repentant Mr. Deepak told journalists that some council officials and others had misled him. He should have taken care to verify facts more closely before airing his opinion.

He said he had met Mr. Vijayan and tendered his resignation.