By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : K.K. Shaju, a Scheduled Caste opposition legislator, has written to Kerala Governor R.L. Bhatia and Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to sack Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran for making derogatory remarks about him and his caste.
He has given a complaint to Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan demanding a high-level inquiry by an inspector general of police against Sudhakaran for making the derogatory comments.
Shaju and Sudhakaran hail from Alappuzha district. At a public meeting June 16, the minister asked the people at Shaju’s home town to beat him with a broom if Shaju visits the Chunnakara temple.
Shaju told IANS Sunday that he has complained to the governor to see that Sudhakaran is ousted from the council of ministers.
He said this is a clear violation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
On Saturday, Shaju and his family members prayed at the Chunnakara temple. He was given police protection.
“There were around 200 youth wing activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) waiting to create trouble. But since better sense prevailed among their leadership, no untoward incidents took place. They did not prevent me from entering (the temple) but they shouted slogans outside the temple and disbursed,” said Shaju, a two-time legislator.
Shaju has come under attack from the CPI-M for more reasons than one because he was an active member of the youth wing of the CPI-M before joining the Janadiypathiya Samrakshana Samithi party, an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
With the assembly session beginning Monday, the UDF is meeting here later Sunday night to discuss its strategy on how to corner Sudhakaran on the floor of the assembly.
They are also seeking legal opinion to see if they can approach the court to seek justice.