While MLAs acting like goons is not a new phenomenon in many states, we normally don’t expect such things to happen in Kerala. MLA KB Ganesh Kumar seems to have created a new norm in making this a trend.
Some days back, the MLA reportedly manhandled a youth in Anchal, located Kollam district when the man’s mother questioned the MLA for forcing them to make way for his vehicle in a congested road. Ananthakrishnan was assaulted by the MLA and his aide in front of the Circle Inspector, but they refused to register an FIR.
The case was registered against MLA on IPC 353 upon a complaint DySP after MLA’s mother lodged a complaint about insulting and abusing her modesty. According to a lawyer, there are three types of offences: Compoundable offence, non-compoundable offence and compoundable with permission from the court. In this case, 353 IPC amount to a non-compoundable offence which was closed on compromise.
The MLA’s PA filed a counter complaint against the youth for assaulting the MLA using a lever jack and the police cleverly registered MLA’s complaint before registering Ananthakrishnan’s complaint.
A compromise was reached in the talks held at the NSS (Nair Service Society) headquarters in Punalur between relatives of Ananthakrishnan and the MLA’s father.
While the Left-led government’s tolerance of this should be questioned, the bigger questions to ask is why NSS took on the role of arbitrator in this situation.