Resentment in Kerala ruling front over IPS officer's meeting with RSS leader

CPI state secretary Benoy Viswam, openly countering CPI(M) Kerala State Secretary M V Govindan statement, said that details of a meeting of an IPS officer holding a key position in the LDF government with a RSS leader need to be made public.

Thiruvananthapuram: Resentment is brewing in the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala with the CPI, which is the second largest party in the front, openly expressing differences with the stand of CPI(M), which leads the front, on senior IPS officer ADGP (law and order) M R Ajithkumar meeting RSS top leaders.

The reports of the IPS officer's meeting with RSS leaders came out amidst allegations that the IPS officer played a key role in creating troubles by imposing excessing police control during this year's Thrissur Pooram festival just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and thereby helping the BJP win Thrissur Lok Sabha, which is the saffron party's maiden seat to the Lok Sabha from Kerala.

CPI candidate Sunil Kumar had lost to BJP candidate actor-turned MP and union minister of state for tourism and petroleum Suresh Gopi.

Even after it came to light that the opposition Congress's allegation that the IPS officer met RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale at Thrissur in 2023 was true, CPM state leadership continues to protect him. CPM state secretary M V Govindan stated that the ADGP's meeting with RSS leader was nothing concerning the state government.

However, CPI state secretary Benoy Viswam openly made a countering statement. He said that details of a meeting of an IPS officer holding a key position in the LDF government with a RSS leader need to be made public. "The IPS officer should not have met RSS leaders at the government's expense," Viswam said.

CPI leader Sunil Kumar also said that the matter needs to be considered seriously especially in view of allegations that the meeting pertained to a conspiracy to create problems in the Thrissur Pooram.

Meanwhile, there were reports that Ajthkumar could go on leave until the ongoing probe against him is over. A police team led by state police chief Sheik Darvesh Saheb is probing into various allegations raised by ruling front MLA P V Anvar against Ajithkumar. The team was asked by the government to submit report in one month.