India News | On Eve of Puthuppally Bypoll, Kerala's Ruling CPI Contemplates Dropping Case Against NSS over 'namajapa' Protest
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala is mulling over withdrawing the case lodged against members of the influential Nair Service Society (NSS) for their 'namajapa' protest over Speaker A N Shamseer's alleged remarks about a Hindu deity.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 4 (PTI) The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala is mulling over withdrawing the case lodged against members of the influential Nair Service Society (NSS) for their 'namajapa' protest over Speaker A N Shamseer's alleged remarks about a Hindu deity.
An indication in this regard came on Monday, on the eve of Puthuppally assembly bypoll, through the legal opinion of a government lawyer advising the police to drop further investigation in the case and to file a final report to that effect before the jurisdictional court.
The Cantonment Police here had registered an FIR against NSS Vice President Sangeeth Kumar and a thousand other identifiable members of the organisation in connection with the protest held on August 2.
After the NSS moved the Kerala High Court for quashing the FIR and the court put further proceedings in the case on hold, the police sought the legal opinion of Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Manu R on whether to proceed with the matter on September 1.
On Monday, the prosecutor advised the police to drop further investigation in the case and to file a final report to that effect before the jurisdictional court.
The reason given by the APP was that the 'namajapa' protest "was not illegal, restricted or regulated and the continuation of the investigation would be an instance of abuse of process under the law".
The prosecutor also said: "So as to ensure and retain communal harmony and for peace in society and for other social reasons, I am also of the opinion that it is a fit case to drop further action."
The APP further said that the namajapa yatra was a practice associated with the Hindu religion and therefore, it was a protected right under the Article 25(1) (freedom to profess any religion) of the Constitution.
Additionally, the prosecutor was also of the opinion that witness statements do not indicate the commission of the offences of rioting and unlawful assembly for which the NSS members were booked.
The APP said the "very foundation of the case itself was doubtful" as no violence or damages were reported due to the procession that was held from Palayam to the Pazhavangadi Ganapathy Temple, a few kilometres away, in protest against Shamseer's alleged remarks on Lord Ganesha.
"Even if it is assumed that any slight obstruction was caused to the public, the same was only a trifle. This is evident from the fact that no other public raised any complaint regarding the same," the APP said.
While opining that it was abundantly clear the registration of the FIR was due to a mistake of fact, the APP said the official who lodged the case has committed no illegality as it was a bona fide action on his part.
The case registered against the members of the NSS by the police was used by the opposition Congress and the BJP to target the ruling CPI(M) during their campaigning in the Nair community-dominated areas in the Puthuppally Assembly constituency. The bypoll will be held on Tuesday.
The Congress-led opposition UDF has fielded former chief minister Oommen Chandy's son, Chandy Oommen, in an apparent strategy to bank on the sympathy wave following the former CM's death.
On the other hand, the ruling Left front once again decided to go with DYFI leader Jaick C Thomas who had unsuccessfully contested from the segment in 2016 and 2021 against the late Chandy.
The BJP has fielded its Kottayam district president G Lijinlal.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)