THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The scheduled September 20 meeting of the UDF will have to grapple with the issue of government Chief Whip P C George dashing off a letter to the country’s President and High Court Chief Justice and others seeking intervention with regard to the professional conduct of Thiruvananthapuram Special Vigilance judge in the contentious palmolein case. The next Assembly session is fast approaching from September 26 and the next hearing of the palmolein case is slated for the last week of this month. On coming to know about George’s action on Saturday, the Chief Minister reportedly flayed the former in the presence of his close aides at a programme in Kottayam. Chandy reminded George that he was not a mere citizen as was claimed while piloting the petition but an important functionary of the government.” The Congress and UDF have a tradition of respecting courts and judges. And now you are part of the UDF,” an irritated Chandy told George. An exasperated George replied that he would then prefer to remain as a mere MLA and quit the chief whip’s post.George had tried in vain to clear his position that he had written the letter on his own using his right as a citizen of the country to point out alleged gross violation by the judge in discharging his duties. George admitted that he had not consulted any leader in his party or the UDF before sending the letter to various key dignitaries holding constitutional posts. “It is shocking that George had acted in this manner on an important issue pending before a court of law. He should have thought at least that the state’s electronic media is out to malign the Chief Minister and the government in a concerted manner,” felt Oommen Chandy, without hiding his disappointment, while speaking to ‘Express’. “Even the prosecutor appointed by the former LDF Government has not been changed by the present government,” he reminded George.“George might not have had any ill-motives and may be eager to protect the government and the chief minister. He might have been guided by legal circles in the High Court and Supreme Court, who were insisting that there was no ground at all for a presiding judicial officer to proceed against a person in a pending case unless and until the investigating agency asked for it, citing many verdicts and precedents. I also got the same legal opinion. But I’ve taken a stand to go by the trial court’s decision and not to appeal against it,” Chandy said.‘’George might have felt that his was a strong case to highlight and capture media attention. Also, he might have been agitated by the contempt of court proceedings initiated by the same Vigilance court against him for his reaction to the court directive in the palmolein case, ” Chandy said. However, asked on whether George will have to pay a political price for his one-upmanship, a cautious Chandy reserved his comments. But a top functionary of the Kerala Congress maintained that George cannot be allowed to proceed in this fashion. ‘’In spite of all his utterings and claims in public that he is not after power or post, he has proved in the party forums itself that he cannot move on without publicity and attention .He is not keen to respect others, “ said a leader, who preferred anonymity. “Party leader K M Mani may not be able to protect George, whatever be his political compulsions,” he said. “I will not seek any leader’s mercy to hold my ground with regard to the contents of the letter or forwarding it to those concerned. The question is whether I have a citizen’s right in the country to point out a wrong of the judiciary,” maintained P C George in his characteristic fashion.
Comments
0 comment