Veteran CPI(M) leader V.S. Achuthanandan has criticised the party leadership’s move to expel the members accused in the attack on the P. Krishna Pillai memorial at Kannarkattu, near Muhamma.
Speaking to the media here on Saturday, Mr. Achuthanandan said the decision to expel the accused from the primary membership was wrong. He was of the view that the leadership should have instead “dismissed with utter disregard” the report of the Crime Branch team.
“The act of vandalising the bust of P. Krishna Pillai was the result of violence unleashed by the Congress. However, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and the Home Minister have been keen on placing the responsibility of the crime on the CPI(M),” he said.
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Pointing out that party workers held P. Krishna Pillai, the party’s founder-leader, in utmost reverence, he said “contrary to what the Congress has been claiming, CPI(M) workers were not the type of individuals who attacked their own parents”.
He added that the region at which the P. Krishna Pillai memorial was situated was known for unity and comradeship. Mr. Achuthanandan, however, dismissed allegations of factionalism in the party. He also said he was unaware of the allegation made by Latheesh P. Chandran, prime accused in the case, that he was being targeted for being a staunch loyalist of the veteran leader.