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Kerala: Restriction on black face mask, dress triggers row
Though the CM reiterated that there were no restrictions on black masks or dress, policemen forced people to remove anything black at several places and latest move triggered a debate on “politics of black”.
As protests against Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan mounted after fresh disclosures made by gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh last week, police have allegedly put a blanket ban on anything black at events attended by the CM.
Though the CM reiterated that there were no restrictions on black masks or dress, policemen forced people to remove anything black at several places and latest move triggered a debate on “politics of black”.
Despite strict restrictions and tight patrolling, black flags were shown to him at several places in Thrissur and Malappuram districts on Sunday. At some places, Youth Congress workers released black balloons to vent their protest.
“How many colours are there? Why do you insist for black these days? It is a deliberate move to embarrass the CM and government. You cannot cow down an elected government like this,” said Left Democratic Front convener EP Jayarajan. Education minister V Sivankutty went a step further. “After showing black flags, there is a ploy to harm the CM. We have reports that some forces are hell-bent to create trouble in the state,” he said.
But the opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party said the scared CM was resorting to knee-jerk reactions. “The CM sees black everywhere these days. Black is pervading his mind and heart otherwise no leader will resort to such dirty tricks. Why is he so scared of black? Showing black flag is a democratic form of protest,” said Congress leader VD Satheesan. BJP state chief K Surendran said: “Guilty feeling is writ large on his face that is why he is becoming so intolerant to a colour these days.”
But in Malappuram, the CM slammed the Congress for resorting to dirty politics of protest. “The Sangh Parivar is trying to silence political opponents using central agencies. Latest in the series was ED notice against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. It seems Congress men in Kerala are not aware of this. They joined hands with the BJP,” Vijayan said.
Security cover for the CM has been upgraded after protests triggered by the disclosure of Swapna. Over 700 policemen were deployed along the route of the CM in north Kerala districts. A senior police officer, who did not want to be named, said a strong contingent of 50 cops and commandos travel with him in dozen-odd vehicles.
Commuters were hit badly as many roads were sealed and traffic diverted along the route of CM in last two days. In Thrissur, a road around the guest house, where the CM stayed, was closed for more than 12 hours.
The sensational gold smuggling case took a new turn on Tuesday after Suresh told newsmen that she narrated the alleged role of CM, his family, two senior IAS officers, Jaleel and others in gold and dollar smuggling involved around the UAE consulate in the state capital. She worked at the consulate as the secretary of the attaché for more than two years.
The gold smuggling case surfaced on July 5, 2020 after the customs seized 30 kg gold hid in bathroom fittings in one of the consignments, camouflaged as diplomatic baggage, came in the name of the UAE consulate in the state capital. A former employee of the consulate PS Sarith who came to receive consignment was arrested the same day and after a week NIA arrested Swapna and her accomplice Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru.
The case had witnessed many twists and turns in last two years and most of the 32 accused, including CM’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar, are on bail. Swapna was released from the jail in November last year after 16-month in jail.
Meanwhile, Swapna said she will move the high court on Monday to quash the fresh case. After her disclosure police registered a new case against her under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 153 (provocation with an intent to cause riot). Her pre-arrest plea was rejected by the HC last week after government said she was framed under bailable provisions and it has no intention to arrest her now.
Later, she also released an audio clip which purportedly contained talks between Swapna and Shaj Kiran, who the former alleged was an emissary of the CM to mediate and limit further damage.
Will reveal more about Jaleel: Swapna
Talking to newsmen in Kochi on Sunday, Swapna said she will reveal more about former minister KT Jaleel, whose compliant led to the new case against her, in a couple of days.
“He filed a conspiracy case against me last week. In fact, he is the one conspiring to silence me. He is one who sent a mediator to me fearing I will spill beans. I will talk about his entire role in a couple of days,” she said, adding that she did not need protection from Kerala police.
She said instead of providing protection sleuths of Kerala police were literally stalking her. “It is a big surprise that there is no case against Shaj Kiran. I have released an audio clip in which he flaunted to show his connection with the high and mighty. He made tall claims including the money channel of some VIPs,” she said.
In the audio clip, Kiran can be heard purportedly making serious observations against chief minister Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
In the clip, Kiran was heard talking about the alleged foreign investment of the CM and Balakrishnan. “You know that the CM’s and Balakrishnan’s personal funds are being diverted to the US through the Believers’ Church. That is why its accounts were frozen under the FCRA. The game has changed and now many players are there.”
A former journalist, Kiran, is reportedly associated with Believers’ Church. But the church disowned him, saying he was only a former employee. The HT could not verify authenticity of the audio tape released by Swapna.
