As CPI-(M) continues to blame the Narendra Modi-led government for intolerance and fascism, a similar incident of government high handedness has been reported in Kerala. On January 25, DCP Law and Order Chaithra Teresa John raided the Thiruvananthapuram District Committee office of CPI-(M) to nab the culprits who pelted stones at a police station.
Within hours after the raid, upon special instructions from the Chief Minister's office, Chaithra was transferred from Law and Order to the Women's Cell.
It should be noted that Chaithra had previously locked horns with some top CPI-(M) leaders after she tried to arrest NGO union workers who attacked a State Bank of India branch. Soon after this incident, union leaders had approached the district leaders of CPI-(M) and asked them to take strict action.
It was on Wednesday that a group of DYFI workers pelted stones on the Medical College police station, Thiruvananthapuram. The attack happened when police arrested two DYFI workers who got involved in a case registered under the POCSO Act. Following the attack, the police registered cases against more than 50 DYFI and CPI-(M) workers upon instructions from Chaithra Teresa John.
Later, police got the information that some of these accused people were hiding in the CPI-(M) district committee office. Even though a team of police officers led by Chaithra rushed to the district committee office, CPI-(M) workers did not allow the daredevil IPS officer to conduct the search.
During the time of the raid, several low-brass police officers tried to stop Chaithra from conducting the search, but the young officer was quite adamant in performing her duty.
Restricting bureaucrats from doing their duty is not great for the world's largest democracy, and if Pinarayi Vijayan-led CPI-(M) government continues to do these acts again, it will negatively impact the morale of IPS and IAS officers in the state.
