Snubbing CPI(M) Politburo member and Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan,who had refused to go against the court or the CBI in the SNC-lavalin case as he was occupying a constitutional post,party mouthpiece Deshabhimani on Thursday said a true Communist is one who acts according to the party programme on the judiciary. In its worst-ever attack on the veteran,the rival faction,which controls the daily,has told him that holding a constitutional position should not prevent a true Communist from joining the party agitation against constitutional bodies. Achuthanandan had said in New Delhi on Tuesday that as he was sworn to protect the Constitution and thus could not criticise the court. The crux of the assault is that Achuthanandan was not a true Communist in the partys hour of crisis. The editorial in the daily said no Communist would regard his position important when the constitutional institutions adopt an anti-people line. The late E M S Namboothirippad,during his tenure as the Kerala chief minister,had set the best example in this regard. Nothing prevented EMS from exposing the class character of the judiciary. Several CPI(M) chief ministers in Kerala and West Bengal had followed the path of EMS in taking on the judiciary. When a High Court bench served a verdict in favour of the managements in the admission and fee structure in self-financing colleges in Kerala,Achuthanandan had clearly said that the verdict would help the education business lobby to further their interests, the editorial reminded. Hailing Politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan as a true Communist,the party media said he had discharged his responsibilities by coming out in support of Pinarayi Vijayan. The editorial said the party concept about the role being played by the constitutional bodies in society was clear. Even while holding a constitutional post,a true Communist would have to resort to agitation and path of unity in the party. The party has a clear notion about the CBI and has made clear its stand on the Lavalin issue. A true communist should strive to uphold and propagate the party line on the CBI, Deshabhimani advised Achuthanandan.
