Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan orders police commissioner’s transfer as Thrissur Pooram curbs put CPM in damage control mode

To cushion the political damage, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Sunday directed the state police chief to transfer Thrissur Police Commissioner Ankit Ashok and Assistant Commissioner K Sudarsan with the permission of the Election Commission.

While addressing a press meet, the CM said the government machinery had limitations during election time. “The Director General of Police has been directed to carry out a probe into the incidents and submit a report,” the CM said.

Due to the police restrictions for crowd management, a few events of the Pooram had to be abandoned half-way in the night of April 19. Besides, for the first time in the history of the festival, the display of fireworks, one of the major attractions of the festival, which was scheduled in the small hours of April 20, was held in broad daylight on that day.

When uncertainty loomed over the conduct of fireworks, BJP candidate in Thrissur LS constituency Suresh Gopi dramatically emerged and held discussions with temple authorities early morning on April 20, leading to the conduct of the fireworks in daylight. The unprecedented developments caused by police restrictions had disappointed thousands of Pooram fans, who had thronged Thrissur, called the cultural capital of the state.

With BJP highlighting the involvement of Suresh Gopi in the conduct of Pooram, which is close to the heart of people of Thrissur, the Opposition Congress alleged that the police under Vijayan created a situation for the intervention of the BJP in the conduct of the festival in the famed Vadakkunnathan Temple.

“It is unfortunate that a festival like Pooram was made a pawn for the hidden agenda of CPI(M) and BJP,” said K Muraleedharan, Congress candidate from Thrissur.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan echoed the sentiment and accused the government of communalising ‘Pooram’. “The government has allowed police intervention to create a situation conducive for the BJP,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, LDF Thrissur district committee convener K V Abdul Khadar alleged conspiracy behind the mess up of the Pooram. “BJP and RSS leaders had exploited the situation for their political ends. The government and the Election Commission should probe the interference of police in Pooram,’’ he said.

In the last two days, the issue has been assuming a larger political dimension. Sangh Parivar groups had linked the controversies surrounding the Pooram under the CPI(M) regime to the controversial entry of young women at Sabarimala temple in 2018 under the previous LDF government. The government fears a backlash in the elections in Thrissur, where BJP has high stakes. The LDF candidate, V S Sunil Kumar, also expressed his disappointment over the turn of developments.