Norms violated in DGP appointment: Kodiyeri

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] Polit Bureau member and former Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that the State government is attempting to appoint a sixth Director-General of Police (DGP) in Kerala by violating certain norms.


He said there were only four DGPs in the State at a given time in the past. However, the State government had already appointed a fifth DGP despite recommendations that the State did not require more than four DGPs. He alleged that vested interests were behind the move to place favoured persons at positions of authority.


Mr. Balakrishnan was speaking while inaugurating a meeting that followed a rally organised by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in protest against the alleged high-handedness of the police against youth activists who had recently agitated against the decision of the State government to increase the retirement age of government employees.


He accused the State government of challenging the secular fabric that existed in the State by allocating portfolios on the basis of priority towards various communities. ‘‘Such measures would ultimately lead to communal differences and unrest,'' he said.


Mr. Balakrishnan said the constant shifting of portfolios for political appeasement would lead to administrative instability in the government.



He alleged that the government was attempting to let loose ‘‘police atrocities'' to suppress people's movements. ‘‘Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is mistaken if he is under the impression that unleashing violence upon the public would ensure that contentious decisions of the government went unchallenged,'' he said.


Comparing the present law and order situation to the one that had existed during the rule of the previous LDF government, Mr. Balakrishnan said the LDF had always dealt such issues with due care and sensitivity while in power.


‘‘Violence has never been considered as an option to contain the activities of various organisations. However, the UDF government has brought into effect an undemocratic handling of the law and order situation within a short span of time. It is unfortunate that the government has also been involved in handpicking several leaders of the Opposition and other public leaders for physical torture,'' he said.


Referring to the decision of the State government to raise the retirement age of government employees, Mr. Balakrishnan said the decision had led to the loss of employment opportunities for nearly 30,000 youth. CPI district secretary C.K. Sasidharan presided over the meeting. LDF convener Vaikom Viswan, Kerala Congress (anti-merger group) chairman P.C. Thomas, and CPI (M) district secretary K.J. Thomas were among those present.