The CPI(M) has forcibly “expelled” a 49-year-old party worker and his family from their house and even from their village at Thottakkad near Kuttyadi in Kerala’s Kozhikode district for criticising the allegedly ineffective agitation the party had held in protest against the infamous solar scam panel.
Surendran, a working class man, his wife Indira and son Rahul are now living in a rented house in a village at Perambra in the district, far away from their native place, as the party is disallowing them to enter their house in a surplus land colony in Thottakkad, which has already been partially destroyed in stone-pelting by CPI(M) activists.
The CPI(M)-led Opposition lDF had started its “indefinite” siege to the State Secretariat demanding Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s resignation on August 12 but the stir was called off within 28 hours of its start without getting any assurance from the Government. This had created serious dissatisfaction among a large section of CPI(M) workers.
Problems started for Surendran and family on August 26 after he reacted sharply against the failure of the party to make effective its agitation over the solar scam. A party activist living in his neighbourhood had reacted to this criticism roughly on that day.
The situation worsened amid efforts of certain leaders to settle the issue between the two with the hospitalization of Surendran’s wife Indira with injuries suffered in an attack by certain partymen on August 28. The police arrested three CPI(M) workers on the basis of a complaint filed by Indira.
Following this, the party blocked the family from entering their house which forced them to take shelter in the houses of relatives in the Thottakkad locality itself. However, with the partymen’s threats extending to the relatives as well, Surendran and family were left with no alternative but to seek police assistance.
“As the police left after they moved into the house, it was surrounded by partymen who pelted stones at it and issued threats,” said Sathyan, Surendran’s son-in-law. “The police were ready to post some guards at the house but it was impractical as there were clear indications that the partymen were determined to continue with their hostility,” he said.
However, the local CPI(M)leadership claims that the issue has nothing to do with the party’s agitation over the solar scam but the problems started due to a brawl Surendran had entered into with someone else after getting drunk. Surendran himself and even many people belonging to the CPI(M) in the locality rejected this argument.
“It is not a simple case of drunken brawl. It is true that Surendran used to drink but he has not created any problems in all these years,” said the wife of a CPI(M) member of Thottakkad. “The fact is that the party is not ready for a compromise. Yes, they will compromise provided he and his family apologise to them and take back the complaint lodged with the police,” Sathyan said.
Pradeep, a social worker in Perambra who had helped Surendran and family find a rented house, said that the police had changed their stand on the issue in the past two-to-three days. “The police had been ready to help them initially but their position now is that a solution is impossible unless Indira withdraws her complaint,” said Pradeep.
However, the local CPI(M) leadership is saying that the current issue is not without solution. According to party branch committee secretary M Balan, the family could stay in Thottakkad if someone responsible gives assurance on Surendran’s behaviour but the family and relatives say that he had never misbehaved with anybody.