The Secretary of the Communist Party of India, Kerela, has stirred up quite a controversy with his recent comment. He implied the Army could do whatever they pleased and not a word could be said against them.
He was quoted as saying, “They (army) can do anything to anybody. If they see more than four people standing together, they can shoot them. They can take any woman and rape her, nobody has the right to question them. This is the state wherever the army is.”
Balakrishnan also added that clashes were bound to happen between people and the army if the army is deployed in Kannur.
The Kerela leader made the controversial remark days after Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, reported that armed forces have been given the right to take instant decisions in war like situations.
Arun Jaitley also reported the Army would not have to wait to consult the parliament and can take decisions that they seem fit during an encounter with terrorist forces.
Balakrishnan’s comment was in defense against the deployment of armed forces in Kannur. Politburo member, Brinda Karat stood up for the CPI Secretary saying that his statement was quoted out of context.
Brinda Karat said, “What Kodiyeri said was in the context of certain cases where the blanket power to the Indian Army has been grossly misused to violate human rights. It was by no means a blanket statement against the Indian Army and it is not just Kodiyeri’s opinion.”
The BJP leadership in Kannur has sought criminal proceedings against Balakrishnan for sedition.
The Rajya Sabha MP and Vice chairman of National Defence Academy, Kerela, Rajeev Chandrashekhar has said that the CPI Secretary’s statement was against every limit of tolerance even though the standards of Balakrishnan’s political group is low and known for intimidation and contempt for democratic values. Rajeev Chandrashekhar has demanded an immediate and sincere apology from the CPI leader.
