New Delhi: Facing mounting criticism for saying the Indian constitution enables exploitation of the people, Saji Cheriyan on Wednesday announced his resignation from the Kerala cabinet.
Cheriyan – a senior CPI(M) leader who held the cultural affairs and fisheries portfolios in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) cabinet – announced his decision to media persons at the Chief Minister’s Office. He handed over his resignation to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Meanwhile, a magistrate court in Thiruvalla on Wednesday directed the Keezhvaipur police to register a case against Cheriyan on the basis of a plea moved by an Ernakulam-based lawyer for allegedly insulting the Constitution, police told news agency PTI.
On Tuesday, the opposition had called for his sacking but Cheriyan said he had made an independent decision to quit as minister. He insisted that it was never his intention to disrespect the constitution, for which he has the highest regard and respect.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has accepted Cheriyan’s resignation and allocated the portfolios of fisheries, culture and youth affairs held by him to the chief minister, according to a Raj Bhavan tweet.
Cheriyan is the first minister to resign from the second LDF government headed by Vijayan. The first Pinarayi Vijayan government saw the resignation of at least four ministers over various controversies – E.P. Jayarajan, A.K. Saseendran, Thomas Chandy and K.T. Jaleel.
Cheriyan said in a press conference that his recent speech was incorrectly interpreted or partially depicted or carried by the news media which resulted in conveying a wrong message that he disrespected the constitution.
“I was hurt by such a portrayal of what I had said. I also believe it was aimed at destabilising the ruling Left government,” he said and reiterated that he had no intention to disrespect the constitution.
He also alleged that it was the Congress and the BJP which have failed many times to uphold the majesty of the Constitution.
Earlier on Wednesday, Cheriyan’s remarks rocked the state assembly.
Though the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) came prepared to take up the matter as an adjournment motion in the assembly and raised slogans against Cheriyan, charging him with ‘humiliating’ the constitution and its architects, speaker M.B. Rajesh abruptly announced that the house was adjourned for the day.
Terming the speaker’s action as “unprecedented”, the opposition leaders later met him at his office and conveyed their displeasure over his sudden decision for early adjournment and alleged that the government and the ruling front were trying to avoid their questions.
Top leaders of the CPI(M) then met at the AKG Centre in Thiruvanathapuram to take stock of the situation. The meeting was attended by a handful of top leaders including Pinarayi Vijayan, party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, A. Vijayaraghavan, Cheriyan himself.
At the same time, the party general secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters in New Delhi that the matter was being discussed by the state leadership and “appropriate action” would be taken.
After the meeting, Cheriyan insisted he would not resign. “What is the problem? I already said what I had to say yesterday [Tuesday],” he said in response to repeated queries by reporters outside the party headquarters on whether he would resign or if his resignation had been sought.
Cheriyan was in the eye of a storm on Tuesday for his remarks at a recent event that the Indian constitution “condones exploitation” and is written in a way to help “plunder” the people of the country. Though he expressed regret in the assembly on Tuesday and claimed that he is a public servant upholding the noble values of the constitution, opposition parties demanded his resignation.
Saji Cheriyan leaves after a meeting with top leaders of CPI(M), at AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, July 6, 2022. Photo: PTI
Drama in assembly
The House witnessed strong opposition protests on Wednesday also, as legislators raised slogans against Cheriyan and the government as soon as the speaker arrived in the house to commence the proceedings in the morning.
The opposition members claimed they raised slogans from their respective seats and demanded speaker Rajesh take up the issue as an adjournment motion after suspending the other businesses of the day. They also claimed that some of the ruling front MLAs first left their seats and only after that did some opposition members leave theirs.
After the house was adjourned, the opposition MLAs staged a brief sit-in protest at the portal of the hall with placards and later gathered near the statue of B.R. Ambedkar at the assembly campus. They condemned Cheriyan’s remarks, raised slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ and marched out of the assembly complex.
(With PTI inputs)