Former CPM Kannur district committee member Manu Thomas, who walked out of the party recently, has said that he took the extreme step as he felt frustrated over the indifference of the leadership regarding the wrong practices of certain leaders which he had tried to bring before the attention of the party. As he lashed out against state committee member P Jayarajan and his son Jain P Raj for their underworld connections, he is receiving life threats through Facebook. 

You had asked for a debate with CPM. Instead, you received life threats. 

When allegations against me were levelled through social media, I said that I am ready for a debate. But, what followed was a series of life threats against me. The most unfortunate thing is that it is the party in Kannur district which is providing support for this. The hired hit squad on social media threatened that they don’t need much time to silence me if I speak against the party. The problem is that, who have entrusted these persons to speak like this on behalf of the party? There should be some clarity regarding this. The party leadership should come out and say whether the quotation gangs have any say in the matters of party discipline. Party secretary has denounced the quotation gangs. But, still, these thugs come out saying things in an authoritative way. Party should make their stand clear regarding this. 

Did you try to point out and correct these flaws when you were with the party? 

When you are with the party so many issues might have taken up for discussion. It is not quite fair to shout about it when you come out of the party. But, here, some people have deliberately spread fake news regarding my position to create misunderstanding among the public. As I reacted to such allegations, people have started coming up with life threats. It was at this juncture that I had said that, I would be forced to reveal so many things about such people. 

You said, Jayarajan’s position in the party is pitiable

There are many dimensions when I say that his position in the party is pitiable. Those who know the party could easily understand the hidden meaning behind my statement.  The reason behind the continuous crisis into which the party in the district keeps on falling again and again is that something is being left without getting corrected. For the last 10-13 years, this has been the situation here. Before that, nobody was able to connect the party with gold smuggling and quotation gangs.  Party should check how this transformation took place in Kannur. Jayarajan’s son had brought the party into embarrassing positions on many occasions in the past. It was being discussed within the party as well. It is a matter of morality to monitor the activities of the youngsters of the party. But, it is not taking place now. Worse, the leaders come out in public preaching about idealism and morality. 

Again, you said Onchiyam and Edayannur were not revolutions, but distortions

It is not my stand. It was the party stand. Party repeatedly denounced the argument that Onchiyam and Edayannur have nothing to do with revolution. Those who have played their roles in  Onchiyam and Edayannur distortions have been spreading misconceptions about the party among the public. They boast that they are the real revolutionaries and it is they who provide resistance to the party when it is in crisis. Since they resist the party, they feel that they are privileged and free to do anything. What were their contributions to the party? Whatever they had done were distortions. They mislead the public through Facebook revolutionary literature.

When you left the party no other leaders except P Jayarajan had come out against you

What do they have against me? The only thing they can say is that I had not participated in party activities and I had not renewed my membership. I accept that. I have my own reasons for that. District secretary MV Jayarajan too had explained the matter reasonably before the media and public. But, P Jayarajan had tried to act as the super secretary of the party by coming out in public. The members of quotation gangs would not follow the order of the party.  They would only follow the instructions of their leader. I don’t have the opinion that the party in Kannur is being controlled by P Jayarajan. But, he was successful in putting the party behind an iron curtain for a long period. Fortunately, things have changed a lot now. But, still, some marks of stains remain to be cleaned. 

How do you see the threats against you? 

I am not at all afraid. When debates seem impossible, they try to silence people. But, such tactics would not work any longer. If the party can not realise it, I am helpless. The quotation gangs don’t care about politics. I was being forced into saying these things. I have said this much. Now, let us see what will follow. The youth have become disenchanted with politics. And those who enter politics come with a motive to achieve something using the political clout. Young politicians should be able to work among the public selflessly and should be able to win the trust of the people. If they cannot, a political mafia organisation would come up.