Does C in CPM mean corruption?

27 Jan 2009, ET Bureau


NEW DELHI: For the comrades, the SNC-Lavalin scam-tainted polit bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan is the new hero of the “Communist movement” in Kerala. The party’s supporters have embraced the state secretary and taken their crusade to the blogosphere.

The “support Pinarayi” blogspot showering praises on Mr Vijayan reiterates the CPM’s conspiracy theory and calls for a “fight to the finish” . The blog, posted even as anti-Pinarayi posters came up in the red stronghold, says the CBI case is part of a campaign to tarnish the Marxists.

Like the party, the blog is silent on the charges against Mr Vijayan. So peeved are the CPM loyalists that they have decided not only to turn a blind eye to the CBI’s findings, but to make him their poster boy. “Pinarayi is the future of the Communist party of Kerala. He is the man to take this movement forward. Any attack on Pinarayi should be viewed as the attack on the Communist movement of Kerala. Let us all line up behind our beloved leader Pinarayi Vijayan and fight to the finish,” the blog says.

When Mr Vijayan’s name figured in the SNClavalin scam, all eyes turned to the CPM headquarters , which has been the origin of several statements seeking action against corrupt political leaders of other parties, to see when the axe would fall on its own polit bureau member. Far from taking any action, the polit bureau threw its weight behind Mr Vijayan and decided to take the “its political vendetta” line.

Taking a cue from this, the party’s supporters took upon their shoulders to save the disgraced leader. The blog, which uses the familiar Communists’ propaganda jargon, says the anti-Communist forces have “unleashed a war against the people’s democracy” of Kerala and are trying to “politically assassinate” Mr Vijayan. It even claims that Mr Vijayan never compromised with the disgruntled elements. “The move against Pinarayi in the SNC Lavalin case is yet another criminal conspiracy to finish him politically. But the political opponents, Congress-Muslim League-RSS combine will soon realise their dreams shatter before their eyes,” it says.

The blog, which begins with a brief profile of Mr Vijayan , ends with a “support Pinarayi Vijayan” slogan. The CPM leader, who has figured as the ninth accused in the Rs 374.50 crore Lavalin case, has been charged with conspiring with other accused to swing a sweetheart deal in favour of the Canadian firm causing huge losses to the exchequer. The CBI report has said that norms were bypassed while awarding the contract.