CPM MP pays for praising Modi

The
CPI(M) on Saturday suspended its young MP from Kannur, AP
Abdullakkutty, from the party for one year for suggesting that Kerala
should emulate the model set by Gujarat Chief Minister and senior BJP
leader Narendra Modi in matters related to development. Asked whether
he still stood by what he said about Modi, Abdullakkutty said, “I had
said all that with good intentions. I loved this State and its
development as much as I loved the party. I am speaking from my heart.”

Abdullakkutty
had submitted an explanation to the party’s Kannur district committee
on Friday in response to a show-cause notice, but minutes later he
divulged the contents of the explanation to the media, something the
CPI(M) would never tolerate, and this expedited action against him by
the Mayyil area committee of the party, in which he was a member. It is
now to be seen whether the party would ask him to resign as MP or he
himself would do that but observers say that this is of no consequence
as barely four months are left for the Lok Sabha polls.

Even the
explanation to the show-cause notice was an act of impertinence as far
as the CPI(M) was concerned as he told the party that he gave full
marks to Modi’s development model though he was not in agreement with
his Hindutwa agenda. This explanation itself was an open invitation
from the part of Abdullakkutty, who had in the past one year caused
several headaches for the CPI(M) with his open and anti-party postures
with respect to religious belief, hartals, etc.

After the
suspension, Adbullakkutty said, “I never expected this (suspension). It
is a big shock. I had expected the party to clear its misunderstanding
over my statement when it saw my explanation but it is obvious that the
misunderstanding has not been removed,” he said. “I loved the party but
I loved development of this State too,” he added.

That
Abdullakkutty does not want to go with the party is evident from the
position he has adopted after the suspension. The usual rhetoric from
party members trapped in such situations was absent in his statements
after the suspension, but at the same time he indicated he stood by
what he said by reiterating his antagonistic stand to hartals, for
which he had been warned by the party once.

CPI(M) general
secretary Prakash Karat refused to comment on the suspension of
Abdullakkutty, saying it was the concerned party panel which had taken
the action and he had nothing to say about it. The Pioneer had the
other day reported that according to Karat’s aides, action against
Abdullakkutty had already been decided. Abdullakkutty, an enfante
terrible as far as the CPI(M) is concerned for the past several months,
had on December 28 told a meet-the-press programme in Dubai that Kerala
should emulate the model set by Narendra Modi as far as the issue of
development was concerned. He had told the gathering that Kerala had
several lessons to learn from Modi’s Gujarat in matters of development
and approach to investors.

Though the CPI(M), which saw Modi as
the quintessential class enemy with regard ‘secularism’, was shocked by
the statement, but Abdullakkutty stood by what he said and reiterated
his words when he landed in Kerala from Dubai. Even after party’s
Kannur district secretary P Sasi indicated about action against
Abdullakkutty, he was not prepared to recant.

The relations
between the CPI(M) and Abdullakkutty had first been strained with his
public statement against hartals. He had also sparked off debates in
the CPI(M) by performing Umrah at Mecca and then openly admitting his
faith through the media. He also sprang a surprise by appearing for
Namaz at an Idgah in Kannur on the last Id-ul Fitr day and repeated the
same for the recent Id-ul Azaha.

He had once shocked the party
by saying that he, being a communist, had not performed “Mayyath
Namaskaram” (paying tribute to the dead near the mortal remains) when
his mother died but was disappointed to see the leaders who taught him
this performing it when their relatives had died.

Responses