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Journalism of Courage
The Kannur District Collector on Tuesday submitted a report to the Chief Electoral Officer that Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi violated the code of conduct while attending functions in Kannur,where a Assembly bypoll is slated to be held next month. The Congress has fielded former CPM MP A P Abdullakutty against the M V Jayarajan,a prominent Marxist leader from the district.
While attending a function at a private college in the district,Ravi promised Rs 5 lakh for improving sports facilities there. At another programme,he made a reference to an impending treaty with the European Union which might open job avenues for Indians.
CPM leader M Prakashan had complained to the Election Commission,alleging that Ravis announcement amounted to a breach of the code of conduct. Following directions from State Chief Electoral Officer Nalini Netto,District Collector V K Balakrishnan held an inquiry into the alleged incidents.
Ravi refused to comment on the Collectors report. K Sudhakaran,the Congress MP from Kannur,said the Collector was acting as an agent of the CPM.
The police have registered a case under non-bailable clauses against Sudhakaran for threatening revenue official last week. Four days ago,the MP and his men had gone to the taluk office,seeking clarifications on voters list. The office witnessed a unruly scene between the Congress muscleman and the tehsildar.
The Congress has alleged manipulation in the voters list which is yet to be published. Though the roll was revised for the Lok Sabha elections,the revenue offices in Kannur were flooded with nearly 9,000 applications for entry into the voters list. The Congress claims the ruling party imported voters from neighbouring Assembly segments after arranging fake residential certificates for the applicants.
