The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala is facing charges of protecting and safeguarding ‘professional gold smugglers’ in the State for the services rendered by the latter in cash, kind and other means.
The recent seizure of smuggled gold by the Customs Dept from Kozhikode International Airport has opened a pandora’s box for the CPI(M). Leaders of the party declared that the CPI(M) would keep off people with track records of gold smuggling and criminal activities.
But all those who have been identified with gold smuggling are the ones who act as cyber warriors and professional musclemen of the party with links to top leadership. Arjun Ayanki and Akash Thillankeri, two young activists of the CPI(M) who have been named by the Customs Department have issued a threat to the CPI(M) leadership for dumping them at this hour of crisis. Arjun Ayanki’s social media page is full of photographs featuring him with top CPI(M) leaders including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Last week’s road accident near Kozhikode airport which claimed the lives of five passengers in an over speeding car led the Customs and Police officials to another group which was giving the former a chase. “The race between the two groups from Palakkadu and Kannur were for the gold worth crores of rupees smuggked in through Kozhikode. But they were ignorant of the seizure of the smuggled gold made by the Customs officials on duty,” said a Customs officials. According to high ranking Customs officials in Kerala, Kozhoikode has become the epicentre of gold smuggling and the operators enjoy political patronage. “There is a CPI(M) fraction in the Customs Department which make matters for us,” said another Customs official who referred to the attempt on the life of Sumit Kumar, Preventive Commissioner, Customs in the month of February. The case was hushed up by political leaders despite Kumar’s open announcement that his life was in danger.
Akash Thillankery , in his social media post, has issued a warning to the party’s Kannur district for dumping the duo following the seizure of gold and related incidents. “I as a dedicatred worker of the Left brand of politics is doing all that I could do to strengthen anti-Fascist forces. But the recent announcement by the district leadership of the CPI(M) that the party would keep off such people is like dumping us after exploiting our services.
If the leadership continues washing off its hands , I may have to rethink my strategy and disclose how the party was utilizing my services all these years,” wrote Thillankery in his social media page.