15 hours ago
Nilambur bypoll: Teen's death sparks blame game
Kozhikode: The death of 15-year-old Anandu, who was electrocuted by a live wire trap at Vazhikkadavu, sparked a political row between UDF and LDF amid Nilambur byelection. UDF blamed the state govt linking the incident to rising man-animal conflicts in the high-range constituency and blocked the state highway at Nilambur on Saturday night in protest.
LDF alleged a political conspiracy behind the incident. Forest minister AK Saseendran even suggested it might have been staged to gain political mileage.
The minister's remarks, later echoed by CPM leaders and party state secretary MV Govindan, led Congress and IUML workers to intensify their protests and burn Saseendran in effigy at Vazhikkadavu. Youth Congress activists also staged a protest outside Kozhikode guest house where the minister was staying.
"Even before residents came to know about the incident protests began in Malappuram. This raises suspicion of UDF's attempts to use it as a campaign issue in Nilambur against LDF. A clear political conspiracy is emerging as it is election time and everyone knows who is the beneficiary. One cannot say it is illogical if they think it was carried out to protect the interests of those who benefit from such a controversy or if the incident was deliberately created to revive their campaigns which have run out of issues" alleged Saseendran.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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KPCC chief Sunny Joseph termed his remarks absurd and cruel. "The minister is a failure in addressing man-animal conflicts and is now shifting the blame on others. What happened was painful and the minister was stupid to call it a conspiracy. He doesn't have time to address such an issue and gives inhuman statements" he said, adding that the minister should prove his conspiracy charges or resign from his post.
Govindan too echoed Saseendran's views saying the way UDF turned the incident into a political weapon raises suspicion.
He added that the phone call records of the accused should be examined. Following the incident, candidates Aryadan Shoukath, M Swaraj, PV Anvar and Mohan George visited Anandu's home.
UDF candidate Shoukath said Anandu was a martyr of unaddressed man-animal conflicts in the area and raised suspicion whether the practice of illegally drawing power from KSEB lines to set up traps was being done with its knowledge. "It is a govt-sponsored murder" he claimed.
LDF candidate M Swaraj said exploiting a tragedy for electoral gains is inhuman. He said there were no protests when a person affiliated to Congress died in a similar mishap in the area two months ago.
"How can deaths be politicized? It is inhuman to politically exploit such incidents" he added.
CPM politburo member A Vijayaraghavan said UDF-ruled Vazhikkadavu panchayat had not acted promptly by engaging shooters and alleged that UDF was using tragic deaths for political gains.
