Kerala Assembly: Adjournment debate on Thrissur Pooram ‘disruption’ descends into political slugfest

Treasury and Opposition benches accuse each other of having a secret understanding with Sangh Parivar forces

An adjournment debate on the highly controversial Thrissur Pooram ‘disruption’ devolved into a three-hour political slugfest in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (October 9, 2024).

The Treasury and the Opposition benches accused each other of having a secret understanding with Sangh Parivar forces.

Veteran Congress legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who moved the Opposition’s notice for the adjournment debate, accused the Kerala government of ceding the electoral advantage to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, Suresh Gopi, by disrupting the iconic festival as a “quid pro quo” for relief from Central investigations against Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leaders.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said the conspirators knew the ensuing Hindu resentment would sweep the BJP to victory in the Thrissur parliamentary segment, and their Machiavellian plan unfolded with clockwork precision.

He said the police blocked two Ministers and the LDF and UDF candidates in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency but allowed Mr. Gopi to arrive at the festival grounds in a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-controlled Seva Bharathi ambulance like an “action hero.”

The Communist Party of India’s (CPI) stance that the festival disruption pointed to a well-entrenched political conspiracy to advantage the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls served as a cudgel for the Opposition benches to hammer the government.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the police systematically executed the political blueprint to disassemble the festival.

CM did not intervene: Satheesan

He said the administration posted inexperienced officers with no local connections. The police impeded the movement of Pooram fans, upended traffic and pedestrian movement, impeded Devaswom staff, and prevented fodder from reaching the caparisoned elephants. They facilitated Mr. Gopi’s “mass superhero entry”.

Mr. Satheesan alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ignored the chaos and did not intervene to set matters right. The government displayed utter contempt for Kerala’s iconic festival. 

CPI(M) riposte

CPI(M) legislator Kadakampally Surendran riposted somewhat ironically that the Congress’ “respect” for places of reverence was evident in the A.K. Antony government’s “brutal police action” at Sivagiri Mutt in 1995. 

CPI(M) leader A.C. Moideen pointed out that the Congress government had withdrawn cases registered against Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia and an RSS activist accused of attempting to murder a police officer in a country bomb attack in front of MG College in Thiruvananthapuram.

Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan alleged that a Congress leader was among the RSS persons suspected of hatching and executing the plot.

Mr. Vasavan said the Congress was “fearful” that the police probe would result in criminal cases. Hence, the party wanted to save its face by plumbing for a judicial enquiry. 

Mr. Vasavan said the Congress has, at a stroke, attempted to portray the government as inimical to minorities and disrespectful to the majority community. He said the police probe into Thrissur Pooram would “puncture the smokescreen of schismatic falsehoods” laid down by the Opposition. 

The Assembly rejected Mr. Radhakrishnan’s motion by voice vote.

Published - October 09, 2024 04:30 pm IST