CPI-M threatening 'Pembulai Orumai' to call off stir: V.D. Sateeshan
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Thiruvananthapuram: Congress legislator V.D. Sateeshan accused the CPI-M of threatening the women plantation workers in Munnar to call off their stir against Power Minister M M Mani over his controversial remarks against them.
Seeking leave for an adjournment motion to discuss this issue in the Assembly, Sateeshan said the collective responsibility of the Pinarayi Vijayan government has disappeared with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Communist Party of India (CPI) ministers differing on every issue.
"Vijayan and Mani say one thing, while the CPI ministers say the opposite, which has reached a high over the eviction proceedings in Munnar, that was begun by the Revenue Department headed by a CPI minister. It's most unfortunate that Mani has used his power to abuse women and that too the hapless plantation workers in Munnar," Sateeshan said.
"The police and the CPI-M in Munnar are threatening the women plantation workers belonging to the 'Pembulai Orumai' (women's collective) to call off their protests. It is unfair by a party like CPI-M which has led several strikes itself," added Sateeshan.
Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala said that things have gone haywire in the Vijayan government as explained in the CPI party organ, where it rebuts each and every claim that Vijayan makes about governance.
"If there was collective responsibility, the Chief Minister would have been told about clamping of Section 144 and also would have been informed about demolishing a cross from usurped land, but you (Vijayan) did not have any clue when the revenue department undertook eviction near Munnar. We have made it clear that Mani has to quit and we will continue our protest till he resigns," said Chennithala.
On Sunday, TV channels aired a speech made by Mani on Saturday night, where he was seen using abusive language against the plantation workers who took part in a protest in Munnar in 2015.
Things turned even worse when four women plantation workers began an indefinite protest, demanding that Mani should come to Munnar and apologise for his remarks and then quit. Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party has come out to support the hapless women.