CPI (M) leader faces prosecution; First communist to be prosecuted

A top CPI (M) leader in India faces prosecution in corruption case, the first time a communist leader and politburo member is facing prosecution in a multi-crore scam in India. Kerala state CPI (M) secretary has acquired the dubious distinction of being the first communist leader in history to be prosecuted in a corruption case.

Kerala governor R S Gavai had given the nod to the Central Bureau of Investigation to go ahead with the prosecution even after the state government had advised the governor against such a move. Three months ago, the CPI (M)’s Kerala unit, dominated by Vijayan’s men, had the state government to advise the governor against giving sanction for prosecution, despite Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan wanted the party secretary to face prosecution.
Vijayan has been charged with abuse of his position as electricity minister. The CBI had sought prosecution of Vijayan with regard to alleged corruption and irregularities in awarding contracts for renovation of three hydro-electric projects to Canadian company SNC-Lavalin when he was Power Minister in 1998.

A day after the governor gave the nod for the prosecution, the CPI (M) was up in arms against the governor and his high office. They termed the decision as “unfortunate” and termed it “politically motivated”. The party Politburo had said that they would fight the case both “politically and legally”.

The Kerala CPI (M) unit had called for a hartal soon after the governor’s decision but later changed the decision to observe a “black day”. The greatest paradox here is that the CPI (M) is a party, which had always stood against corruption and which had always initiated probes in many cases concerning the state. It is the same party that is now up in arms against the governor’s decision who had given the nod for prosecuting Vijayan, who is allegedly involve in corruption cases.

The question that comes up here is whether the CPI (M) should have observed a black day against the governor’s decision when it was fighting against corruption? Moreover, why is the CPI (M), which had always stood against corruption, afraid to face the court? If Vijayan was not involved in the SNC Lavalin corruption issue, why does he then fear prosecution?