TRIVANDRUM, 3 June 2004 — The crucial meeting of the top decision-making body of the Congress unit in Kerala was canceled yesterday after two leaders and journalists were attacked at the venue.
Rajmohan Unnithan and Saratchandra Prasad, the former general secretaries of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and loyalists-turned-foes of senior leader K. Karunakaran, were manhandled by a group of people.
The offenders smashed the windscreen of the car that was being used by these leaders and also ripped off the wrap (mundu) of Unnithan, who was left only with his undergarments. Media workers filming the attack also came under attack. Chief Minister A. K. Antony canceled the meeting, convened to discuss the complete washout in the parliamentary elections, and left the venue immediately.
The new date for the meeting, in which a demand for a Cabinet reshuffle is likely to be tabled, was not immediately announced. Both the leaders were admitted to the Medical College Hospital. Sports Minister K. Sudhakaran alleged that Karunakaran’s son K. Muraleedharan, who quit as power minister after failing to get elected to the state legislature, was behind the attack. He also demanded disciplinary action against the former state unit chief, who was taken into the Cabinet after prolonged bickering.
Muraleedharan, in turn, said Prasad and Unnithan reached the venue with clear intentions of creating problems and the whole episode was part of a conspiracy to tarnish his political career.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, in a statement in New Delhi, termed the attack unfortunate and a shame for all party workers in Kerala. He said he had sought a report from both Antony and KPCC President P. P. Thankachan and stern action against those involved is to follow. Unnithan and Prasad were suspended from the party after they launched a severe attack on the Karunakaran family after they fell out with them.
Earlier, Oommen Chandy, the convener of the United Democratic Front (UDF) that the Congress leads in Kerala, said Prasad and Unnithan reached the venue as part of an agreement between them, myself and senior leader Aryadan Mohammed. They were allowed to come alone and were to hear the explanation of the state unit chief and leave prior to the start of the meeting.
Chandy said action would be initiated all those involved in the attack. “This is most unfortunate and undemocratic. It’s even more serious that a crucial meeting was disrupted,” he told reporters after meeting the two leaders. Thankachan also received blows as he rushed to the car in a bid to calm the. The gang was heard raising slogans in praise of Karunakaran and his children. Prasad and Unnithan alleged that they were attacked by the goons hired by Karunakaran and Muraleedharan. Former minister P. C. Chacko and Mahila Congress President Shanimol Usman said all the culprits have been identified and action will be taken. “We have information who brought the miscreants to the venue,” Chacko said.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the UDF liaison committee held at Kovalam asked the front partners to suggest ways to improve performance of the government and the front before June 10. The committee will meet on June 14 to discuss these suggestions.
Chandy said there were no discussions on the change of guard or a reshuffle in Antony’s Cabinet. “Nobody raised the question of a leadership change. Normally such decisions come from the Congress high command and Cabinet reshuffle is the chief minister’s prerogative,” he said.
When his reaction was sought on Antony’s statement that he was ready to accept any decision by UDF on his continuance as chief minister, Chandy said: “You better ask the chief minister.” The meeting adopted a resolution terming the Lok Sabha election results as a ‘punishment’ by the people for the government’s lapses, quarrel between and within the UDF constituents.
The meeting also discussed the threat of student unions to launch an indefinite strike demanding parity in fee structure for the students getting admission under the government quota in the private professional colleges and government colleges. An all-party meeting will be called to find a way out.
Chandy said the ruling coalition fully agrees to the Opposition demand for uniform fee in the government colleges and the 50 percent seats in the self-financing colleges filled from the government’s merit list. However, the issue needs detailed study since the Supreme Court verdict does not allow separate fee structures in the same college.
The meeting skipped discussions on the allegation of the front partners working against official candidates in Adoor and Muvattupuzha after Chandy requested the leaders to hold bilateral talks before bringing such issues to the UDF.
Earlier, the meeting witnessed heated exchange of words between Antony and IUML state general secretary P.K. Kunhalikkutty, the minister for industries, when the latter blamed the police policy for the rout. Antony retorted blaming IUML for poor handling of the education department.
