Why no martyr from family of party leaders: Actor Sreenivasan takes on CPM
- Why only party workers become victims of political murders and not leaders: Sreenivasan
- Party leaders are using martyrdom to ensure power and make money
- We lost leaders like Azhikodan Raghavan and Kunjali to political rivalries, retorts Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPM state secretary
FollowRenowned Malayalam film star and screen writer Sreenivasan came down heavily on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPM after the party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan objected to the actor’s statement on political murders and the role of leadership in the violence. Sreenivasan had stated that leaders remained immune to political violence in the state while poor party workers fall victims to the political vendetta.
Irked by the actor’s comment, Balakrishnan replied that the party had lost many leaders to political violence. He also cited names of Azhikodan Raghavan and Kunjali and said that they became martyrs for the land. The CPM state secretary had also alleged that the actor lied and misrepresented facts.
“I did not mention any party. Yet, the CPM came up with a quick reply to my comments (as if I blamed them for the murders). And that explains everything, " Sreenivasan said, turning the tables on the Communist party.
The party secretary says that Azhikodan Raghavan and Kunjali became martyrs for the land, Sreenivasan said. “And that is exactly what I said. If they gave their lives for the land, but now, the party workers are sacrificing their lives for their leaders,” he retorted.
Earlier, Sreenivasan was very cautious in his comment by not mentioning any party. But after being stung by a personal criticism by the CPM leader, the actor led a no holds barred attack on the party.
"My question is why there are no martyrs from the family of these leaders,” Sreenivasan quipped. “Will their kids also join the defense force they are planning to form? Will these political leaders issue a white paper on their family members?” Obviously, he was referring to a recent speech by Balakrishnan urging his party workers to be prepared for retaliation in the face of attacks from rivals. He had also mooted plans to form a force of party workers to defend the party from rival attacks.
Sreenivasan, a native of Kannur, the hub of political violence in the state, also said that martyrdom was a ploy used by leaders to make money and to be in power. "Country bomb making is a cottage industry in Kannur. We manufacture bombs the whole day and blast them in the night. The rival party will also do the same," he said cracking a dark joke on the volatile political situation in his home district.
