Thiruvananthapuram: Former minister and CPI leader C. Divakaran has come forth with allegations that he has been a victim of caste discrimination. He went on to call the Government Secretariat a centre of upper-caste domination in the state. 

Speaking at a book launch event at the Thiruvananthapuram press club, the CPI leader said that he had contested four elections and that caste was the detrimental factor behind his loss in the fourth election. He alleged overhearing the voters conversing about his caste.

He claimed that he feels Secretariat --where he served for five years-- a place filled with upper-class elites in Kerala. If someone attempts to act in a way that some do not approve of, they will not allow it and may even ruin the person's public life. These kinds of activities are still prevalent, Divakaran added.