PB condemns statement; CPM to act against Mani

NEW DELHI: After remaining mum for days over the controversial statement made by CPM’s Idukki district committee secretary M M Mani, the party central leadership has finally spoken up. The politburo on Tuesday issued a statement condemning Mani’s remarks, hinting at a possible action against him. “The politburo of the CPM condemns and disapproves of the remarks of M M Mani, secretary of the Idukki district committee of the party, which has sought to justify the retaliatory killing of political opponents. These remarks have nothing whatsoever to do with the party’s approach and politics,” the statement reads.The statement says that “appropriate action will be taken regarding this matter”. The action would be taken by the state leadership during the state committee meeting scheduled for next week, it is learnt. Till now, the CPM had been maintaining silence despite the raging political storm in the aftermath of the murder of  T P Chandrasekharan. Even when the Congress and the BJP said Mani’s statement exposed the CPM’s “politics of violence” and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi compared his language to that of a “terrorist,”  the party central leadership was more or less silent.However, pressure from Left Front allies, the CPI in particular, compelled the CPM to make this move.   CPI leader A B Bardhan had asked the CPM leadership to take action against Mani. Stating that Mani’s statement was “shocking,”  Bardhan had said that the CPM leadership should seek clarification on this.   “They should investigate the statements made by Mani and initiate stern action against him,” Bardhan had said.   Left Front leaders apparently pointed out to Karat that if the CPM did not take stern action against Mani, then it would have no moral right to protest against the attacks upon their supporters and workers in West Bengal. Following discussions with other Left Front leaders, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat on Monday talked to Kerala state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in this regard.   A senior CPM leader told ‘Express’ that it was “imperative” that the party distances itself from Mani at the earliest. “Mani may be a true blue-blooded party cadre. But once he has committed something which will hurt the party, it is important that appropriate action be taken,” he said.