Hardly a fortnight after the Kerala Government’s claim that the recently held Global Investors Meet at Kochi resulted in signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the tune of `1.5 lakh crore with investors, an entrepreneur in the State has come out with a statement that he was on the verge of suicide following the threats issued by the ruling CPI(M).
C Jayaprakash, proprietor, Prakash Steels and Cements at Kulappulli in Palakkad district was in the news recently when workers affiliated to the CPI(M) put up a shed in front of his business premises blocking customers from entering the outlet. The Marxists were furious over Jayapakash’s decision to install an automatic loading and unloading machine in his premises for the speedy and safe unloading and loading of cement and steel, the commodities which he deals in.
The machine that operates based on the conveyor belt system needs just two skilled workers for its operation while the CPI(M) demanded that five of its workers should be taken for loading and downloading the materials. The party leadership also demanded that each worker should be paid `1,500/per day while the two skilled laborers hired by Jayaprakash work at a daily wage of `800/-.
“The local panchayath president Gangadharan, a CPI(M) leafer had warned me to fall in line or face consequences to which he or the party would not be responsible. The tripartite meeting convened by the district labor officer failed to make any breakthrough in the stalemate. The DLO himself is supporting the CPI(M) and he expressed his helplessness in taking a stance against the party,” said Jayaprakash.
He also said that he was seriously thinking of downing the shutters and leaving for some other States where he could do business without threats or blackmailing. The DLO refused to respond to this newspaper’s efforts to get his views.
Three entrepreneurs have committed suicide in the State because f the highhandedness of the party commissars. Naveen Babu, revenue division officer of Kannur took the extreme measure as a result of public humiliation meted out to him by P P Vidya, the district panchayat officer. Since Vidya happens to be a old flame of the party leadership, no action has been taken against her though she has been removed from the official position for the time being.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) leadership is agitated over the denial of permission to industries minister P Rajeeve to visit the United States reportedly to advise the entrepreneurs in that country on how to profitably run their industries.
