RTI reply on Thrissur Pooram conduct creates a row

A recent Right to Information (RTI) reply that there was no government inquiry into the Congress-Communist Party of India (CPI) accusation that police had disrupted the Thrissur Pooram festival to aid the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections by stoking Hindu majoritarian resentment has triggered a politically bipartisan row. 

V.S. Sunilkumar, a CPI leader, former Minister, and Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, termed the disclosure appalling. Mr. Sunilkumar and his Congress rival K. Muraleedharan had raised the same accusation. He told reporters in Thrissur that he would bring the issue to the government’s attention. 

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of misleading the public by announcing an enquiry into the accusations. He said the government had something to hide and could be hand in glove with the BJP in the conspiracy. Mr. Muraleedharan also made a comparable accusation in Thrissur. 

Published - September 20, 2024 07:30 pm IST