Thiruvananthapuram: Businessman’s suicide rocks Assembly
Factionalism within CPM led to death.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Assembly on Monday witnessed hue protest by Opposition legislators over NRK businessman Sajan Parayil’s suicide in Kannur leading to adjournment of the proceedings for a day on Monday.
The Opposition MLAs had a verbal duel with the treasury benches and staged dharna outside Assembly Hall, demanding sanction for Sajan’s auditorium within 24 hours. In his notice for adjournment motion seeking a discussion on Sajan’s suicide, Muslim League MLA K.M. Shaji alleged that factionalism in Kannur CPM had led to the suicide. Sajan became the target of a section of CPM which ruled the municipality as he had sought former Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan’s intervention.
According to him Sajan's wife Beena had informed the Opposition UDF delegation which met her on Sunday that her husband was tense after he took part in Jayarajan's daughter wedding. He had a feeling that the rival party leaders who saw him at the function would hold up the sanction for his convention centre.
“Whether you are close to Jayarajan or against him, you are surely going to get killed. This is the situation prevailing there,” Mr Shaji said taking a dig at the factionalism in Kannur CPM.
The Muslim League MLA alleged that Anthoor municipal chairperson P.K. Shyamala had forced Sajan to visit her office at least 20 times. “She told him bluntly that he would not get occupancy certificate for convention centre and it would remain as a monument,” he said.
According to Shaji, on finding her husband tense Beena said she would meet Shayamala and make a request. However, Sajan dissuaded her as he didn’t want his wife to face humiliation.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala who led the attack against the government, announced his resignation from the post of vice-chairman of Loka Kerala Sabha in protest against Sajan’s suicide. The UDF leaders slammed the ruling party alleging that the bitter infighting in CPM had pushed Sajan to resort to extreme step.
Parliamentary affairs minister A.K. Balan gave details of the incident saying that a case of unnatural death had already been registered by the police under section 173 of the CrPC. The investigations are continuing in the matter.