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New Indian Express

Why did CPM not protest Pinarayi's detention during Emergency, asks Goa governor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai severely criticised the CPM for not protesting against the arrest and detention of Pinarayi Vijayan during Emergency. 'Pinarayi Vijayan was beaten up and detained in his innerwear. I wonder why was there no protest by the CPM in its stronghold Kannur against this. It was fear,' he said. Pillai was speaking at the release of his two books here on Tuesday. The function was attended by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar and Andhra Pradesh Governor Syed Abdul Nazeer. Pillai said his book on Emergency gives due credit to Pinarayi's fight because justice should be done. 'My publisher has uploaded 10 pages of my book on Rediff. In that Pinarayi is featured in his innerwear and it reached the world over. The biggest beneficiary of my book is Pinarayi,' he said. Pillai said the only organisation which took to the streets against Emergency was the 'Lok Sangharsh Samiti' which had the backing of RSS. 'Around 8,000 people under the Samiti's banner protested without fearing arrest or jail. Still, it is not mentioned in Emergency-related articles by mainstream media,' he said. All media succumbed to the pressure of Indira Gandhi fearing arrest. Only Ramnath Goenka was an exception. He was a fighter, Pillai said. Pillai criticised Pinarayi for misinterpreting facts in his media address recently. Constitutional supremacy is a cornerstone of modern democratic governance, said Syed Abdul Nazeer. 'Constitutional supremacy ensures that the Constitution remains the highest source of law and that all other laws and governmental decisions are subject to its authority,' he said.