By our Special Political Correspondent
Kozhikode, July 19 (IVC) With the dismissal of K V Pramod Kottooli , a local leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI(M), from the party’s primary membership, it seems that the party held the tiger by tail. Kottooli’s dismissal from the party on July 13 has proved beyond doubt that the reported allegation of bribe against him was true as the party failed to specify his anti-party activities. Hence the party is put to a catch 22-situation about the allegation of bribe against Kottooli.
The top leadership of the party was contemplating of how to leave the hold of tiger’s tail without injuries.
Pramod Kottooli is part of the ‘Yuvadhara Arts and Sports Club ‘ at Koozhikode , a left leaning collective in the city whose quirky protests and other activities never missed the media’s attention. He is also a secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the party’s trade union organization and former leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).
Kottooli’s removal from the primary membership of the organization came around a week after media reports that emerged about a “youth leader from Kozhikode city” receiving bribe from a doctor by offering a plum post of a member in the Kerala State Public Service commission.
The allegation against the CPI(M) Kozhikode area committee member Pramod Kottooli was that he received , a part payment, of Rs 22 lakhs (Twenty-two lakh rupees) from a homeo doctor promising PSC membership for Rs 60 (Sixty lakh rupees).
Kottooli has strongly denied that he had taken money from anybody. While CPI(M) has been taking a stance that it has not received any complaint in connection with bribe receiving, the media had reported the Minister for Public Works, Mr P A Mohamed Riyaz, son-in-law of Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, had sought an internal probe into reported allegation bribe.
Kottooli has publicly demanded that allegations against him should be probed at all levels, including at the party level. It clearly points that party leaders also knew of the murky deal.
He said that an investigation into the allegation was needed as it had brought bad name for the party. The allegations are about corruption and obviously it must be investigated. The real facts behind the controversy should come out. Let it be the problem at all levels. If the party asked me, I will tell everything, Kottooli told the media persons here on July 11.
Sreejith , the controversial doctor’s husband later told the news channels that he had neither paid bribe to Mr Pramod nor raised the issue with the CPI(M). It was also reported in the media that the doctor’s family had approached the party hierarchies since there were no follow up after payment of money.
A section of the media claimed that Minister for Public Works Mr P A Mohamed Riyaz had sought an internal probe into the issue. Mr Riyaz has feigned ignorance about it.
In a release by the CPI(M) Kozhikode District Secretary P Mohanan condemned that a section of media and political who he said were alleging that everything was wrong in the party by spreading lies and misleading people. Pramod’s dismissal was for his “anti- party activities which were against party discipline, brought disrepute to the organization.”
The party leadership, hoever said that disciplinary action had nothing to do with the allegation related to payment of bribe for a post in the Kerala Public Service Commission.
It w high time for the party to specify the anti-party activities committed by Kottooli with a view to making good of the sullied image of the CPI(M). There is no point in accusing the media which is tantamount to beaking the mirror for removing the ugly face.
