“Kerala society is experiencing a highly dangerous tolerance level towards corruption, communalism, and crime. A ‘chalega’ culture, amply indicating some sort of social inertia towards these three ‘c’s, has already started taking its toll on the social peace and harmony in the State,” says P.J. Kurien, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Prof. Kurien told The Hindu here on Saturday that degeneration of values in every field was the bane of modern times and it was sad that Kerala, which was proudly called God’s Own Country, was slipping into such a lax attitude.
The sorry socio-political happenings reported from different parts of the State in recent times and the public inertia to them amply exposed this sad truth, which, many seldom dared to speak about publicly for reasons best known to them, Prof. Kurien said.
On Mani
According to Prof. Kurien, the resignation of M.P. Veerendrakumar as Rajya Sabha member and the reported move to induct the Kerala Congress led by K.M. Mani into the ruling Left Democratic Front had raised many ethical and moral questions. Mr. Veerendrakumar who was elected to the Rajya Sabha with votes polled by the UDF legislators should have consulted those who had voted him to power before taking such an “undemocratic decision.”
“Similarly, the Kerala society has every reason to suspect something wrong in the reported moves made by the CPI(M) and the KC(M) to come closer despite the fact that the former had even tried to prevent Mr. Mani from presenting the annual budget. The CPI(M) leaders have showered all sorts of abusive language and accusations on Mr. Mani in connection with the bar bribery case,” he said.
Prof. Kurien said he was of the strong opinion that Mr. Mani should return to the UDF.
Prof. Kurien said the highly literate Kerala society appeared to have accepted corruption as a routine thing.
“Similarly, the Kerala society is sadly being divided on communal lines, now, leaving even people in the neighbourhoods at loggerheads.”
The 75-year-old Congress leader who was a Lok Sabha member for seven terms and Rajya Sabha member for three terms said he was pained to see the growing communal problems in the State and the steep deterioration of average moral standards in the Kerala society.
Prof. Kurien said murders and various other cases of crime had become a regular feature in Kerala.
Political murders, whether committed by the UDF, LDF or the BJP, were against humanity.
But, the silence of various apolitical cultural leaders, against the killings too should be condemned, he said.
Term ends in July
Prof. Kurien’s third term in the Rajya Sabha ends on July 1. He said all political parties acknowledged his neutrality as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. When asked about his future political plans, Prof. Kurien said, being a disciplined Congress worker, he was not for contesting the elections to the Lok Sabha or the State Legislature in future.
