LDF govt politicising police, says Chennithala

Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of politicising the police force, leading to the deterioration of law and order and a series of custodial tortures and deaths.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Chennithala alleged that the Chief Minister’s private secretary M.V. Jayarajan was functioning as an extraconstitutional authority, interfering in all cases.

As the CM’s private secretary, he was a government employee but was attending party functions. The State machinery was being used to protect CPI(M) workers, he said. Party leaders inaugurating police association meetings was unheard of. He termed the Governor’s action seeking a report on the law and order situation in the State, the fourth since the LDF came to power, as “unprecedented.”

All-party meeting

All-party meetings conducted soon after political murders have become irrelevant. The peace arrangements arrived during these exercises turned out to be a farce as they were being violated, he said.

There was scant respect for individual freedom, fundamental rights and the right to protest. The only group that was enjoying freedom was the convicts of the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case.

Refutes CM’s claim

Mr. Chennithala said the Chief Minister’s claims that the State was on a development course were doubtful. The LDF government had failed to launch any meaningful development project in the last 24 months it had been in power. All investment infrastructure projects that the previous UDF government had initiated were moving at a snail’s pace.