By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala opposition leader Oommen Chandy Wednesday said the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) should not think that Kerala is West Bengal where they can use money and power to attack their rivals.
Chandy was reacting to an outburst by CPI-M state general secretary Pinnarayi Vijayan at a party meeting Tuesday against Nair Service Society (NSS) leader P.K. Narayana Panicker that he need not teach discipline to the Marxists.
“The statement of Vijayan against NSS general secretary Panicker is a clear indication of the threats that the Marxists give to its rivals. This is not how democracy works. They threaten all those who oppose them, through undemocratic means. They have to respect their rivals,” Chandy told reporters here.
“Kerala is not Bengal where every irresponsible act of the CPI-M would be taken lying down. The CPI-M is now crossing all limits of decency. They are using money and muscle power to attack their rivals. People will hit back in the most democratic manner, if they continue with this undemocratic attack,” said Chandy.
The NSS is a social movement of the Nair community, which constitutes close to 45 percent of the total Hindu population of the state. It is upset after reported moves by the state government to fill up all vacancies in the government-aided educational institutions through the state public commission.
The NSS runs a string of educational institutions in the state.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said he had called the NSS and leaders of Christian institutions for talks on three occasions but they failed to respond to his initiatives.
“They have said that they will come for a discussion only after the report on the move comes out. But despite my assurances that there is no such report, they are shying away. We are prepared to speak to them and for that they have to respond to our invitation for talks,” said Achuthanandan told reporters here Wednesday.