Jishnu Prannoy case has LDF divided at Vadakara

KOZHIKODE: The failure of the LDF government in ensuring timely justice  to  Mahija,  mother of Jishnu Prannoy, has divided its supporters  at Valayam, a party stronghold near Vadakara. Mahija who arrived here from Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday told reporters  that the future course of action would be finalised after the meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday. Accompanied by cousin Sreejith and husband Ashokan, Mahija said that she hoped the chief minister would take all steps to ensure justice to the family.     When asked, Sreejith said the meeting with the chief minister would depend on several factors, including personal convenience. This is being seen as a further downslide in the relationship between  Jishnu's family and the ruling dispensation and perhaps the meeting may not take place as scheduled.   

It may be recalled that  the LDF government had failed to take action initially against the college authorities following the death of Jishnu Prannoy, a student of Nehru College of Engineering, Thrissur. Mr Pinarayi Vijayan did not either visit the family or act  sternly.  The attempt by party circles to tarnish the name of Sreejith,  who led a key role in the agitation,  also had invited widespread dissatisfaction among the  cadres.     Realising the negative fallout,  the party has started damage control.   The hunger strike of the  family at Kallunira near Valayam, a party citadel, was supported by the CPM workers. Though the official machinery was against it, the majority, including women, who stood with the family were CPM supporters, who were unhappy with the way Mr Vijayan handled the issue, it is  pointed out.

Though  the BJP and the Congress tried to cash in on the situation, their  attempts failed.  There is no open protest  in the region.  RMP leader K.K. Rema told DC that though there was  strong  protest among party workers, it will not explode as it happened in Onchiyam. “All of them are scared of  speaking out,” she said.  However, the  CPM district unit is not serious about the controversy. District secretary P. Mohanan told DC that the CPM workers had supported the agitation as the party and the government were with the family.   On the reports that the CPM had expelled Sreejith from the party for his involvement in the agitation,  Mr Mohanan said that the CPM has 37,000 members in Kozhikode district spread over 2800 party branches.

“This Sreejith may be just one member of any of these branches. If we expel somebody we will announce it,”  he said. “These rumblings are just a creation of party foes like the BJP and Congress,”  he added. When asked, Sreejith said the meeting with the Chief Minister would depend on several factors , including personal convenience. This is being seen as a further down slide in relationship between the Jishnu's family and the ruling dispensation and perhaps the meeting many not take place as scheduled