The UDF government of Kerala is going to unleash repression aimed at suppressing the indefinite picketing of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram from August 12. This became amply clear when at a meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram two days back presided over by K S Balasubramaniam, Director General of Police, it was decided to deploy police force all over the capital city to stop the entry of vehicles from other districts into the city. The Government is also planning to arrest LDF leaders on the basis of fabricated cases and even to detrain and arrest those coming to the city by trains.
Faced with mounting support for the massive picketing, preparations for which have been completed in all the districts the UDF government is making an unprecedented move to enforce police raj in the state. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his police team have met several times to work out strategies to suppress the movement demanding his resignation in the wake of the Solar scam.
LDF Convener Vaikom Viswam announced that one lakh workers from all over the state will picket the secretariat indefinitely from August 12. All preparations have been made to make this peaceful struggle a great success he said. Campaign jathas were organized in all districts to finalize preparations at the local level. CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy, former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader H.D Deve Gowda, RSP General Secretary Prof. T J Chandrachoodan etc. will take part in the struggle, Vaikom Vishwan said. Prakash Karat will participate in the picketing on August 12.
The government has already announced a two-day holiday for educational institutions in Thiruvananthapuram on August 12 & 13. Apart from the local police, the government has summoned the Kerala Armed Police, Malabar Special Police, Special Armed Force, and Rapid Action Force to the capital. All leave sanctioned to police personnel have been cancelled. Earlier the Chief Minister had sought the deployment of 24 company of central force. Mullappali Ramachandran, MoS Home, has replied that the center will consider the request and ensure the presence of a two thousand strong CRPF team. Police from four adjacent districts will also be deployed in capital.
Four Area secretaries in Thiruvananthapuram were asked to appear at cantonment police station. There are apprehensions that wide spread arrests of CPI(M) and LDF leaders will take place.
CPI (M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said that Left has the courage to face these harsh measures being adopted by the Chief Minister. He announced that thousands of workers will reach Thiruvananthapuram before the 12th and take part in the picketing. The struggle will go on till the Chief Minster resigns, he added.
CPI (M) politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that no force on earth can suppress the people’s movement in Kerala. The government’s decision to ask for central forces has proved the inefficiency of state police, he added.
Thiruvananthapuram, August 9, 2013