M.V. Govindan, the CPI(M) State secretary, recently stated that former Chief Minister and seasoned Congress leader A.K. Antony has ‘belatedly’ acknowledged significant errors made by his administration. Govindan referenced the 1995 police intervention at Sivagiri Madhom during an election dispute and the 2003 forceful eviction of Adivasis from Muthanga forests, an operation that tragically resulted in two deaths, including that of a police officer.
According to Govindan, Antony’s recent expressions of regret, coming 21 years after the events, serve as a confirmation of the CPI(M)’s long-standing criticisms. The party had consistently and strongly condemned Antony’s ‘reckless use of force’ against the landless Adivasi community and the revered Sivagiri Madhom, founded by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.
Govindan further suggested that the Congress Legislative Party’s (CLP) inability to counter parliamentary criticisms regarding the Antony government’s poor human rights and law and order record ultimately compelled the veteran leader to publicly apologize for his ‘unfortunate actions’ at Sivagiri and Muthanga.
Strains Within the UDF
Govindan claimed that Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan’s ‘sweeping opposition’ to development initiatives in Kerala has led to growing tensions within the United Democratic Front (UDF). He cited the Indian Union Muslim League’s decision to actively participate in the government’s development conclave in Malappuram, defying Satheesan’s call for a boycott, as clear evidence of these internal disagreements.
The CPI(M) secretary observed that Satheesan’s influence within the UDF seems to be diminishing daily. He argued that the series of adjournment debates in the Assembly on critical issues like law and order, inflation, and public health concerns like amoebic encephalitis, inadvertently provided the LDF government an opportunity to showcase its achievements and articulate its position to the public, thus exposing the UDF’s ‘falsehoods and emptiness’.
The Governor’s Controversial Demands
Govindan further criticized Governor Rajendra Arlekar, accusing him of using his position as Chancellor to pressure state-funded universities into funding his legal disputes against the government within the higher education sector. He described Arlekar’s ‘extravagant demands’ as the newest ‘peculiar development’ in the ongoing conflict between the Governor’s office and Kerala’s esteemed higher education system. Govindan asserted that the Governor’s ‘unusual ultimatum’ is a blatant disregard for established university laws, rules, and statutes.