Tripura Chief MinisterBiplab Kumar Deb today alleged that his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan did not visit the house of S R Sreejith who died allegedly in police custody last month, as it would have "damaged" CPI-M's image at the national level.
Addressing an election meeting at nearby Mannar for the May 28 Chengannur assembly bypoll, the BJP leader alleged that Vijayan was a politician who did not care for the people but was only concerned about his party's image.
Narrating an incident of 'rape and murder' of a tribal woman in Tripura during the tenure of the Left government led by Manik Sarkar, Deb said the then Chief Minister Manik Sarkar also did not visit the woman's house.
"Vijayan is the real disciple of Manik Sarkar. Guru of both is same," Deb said.
"If he (Manik Sarkar) had gone to the house, the incident would have been noticed by the national media and it would have caused damage to the party's image," he said.
"The same thing happened here also. I am ashamed of the behaviour," he said.
"I do not know Malayalam. If I knew I would have made him (Vijayan) sweat," Deb said.
Attacking the CPI-M, Deb said the party did not believe in democracy and what they practice is "fake democracy."
Deb wanted the people of Kerala to "throw CPI-M in the Arabian sea."
"As there is no ocean in Tripura, we put the communists in a deep well," he said and referred to BJP's victory in Tripura by ending the 25-year rule of the CPI-M led government.
He said there was no difference between the ruling CPI-M-led LDF and UDF spearheaded by Congress in Kerala.
"Both have an understanding," he said and this was evident from the presence of leaders of both parties at the swearing-in ceremony of H D Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister of Karnataka yesterday.
Talking to reporters at Kochi, Deb criticised Vijayan for not visiting Sreejith's family.
"You are the chief minister of a state, not a party. You should visit the family. I request Vijayan-ji to visit the family and meet his kin," he said.
He said nothing would happen to Vijayan's chief ministership if he visits the family and consoles them.
An administrator should shed arrogance, Deb said.
Describing as brutal the death of Sreejith in police custody, he alleged police was given direction by the ruling party leaders to pick up the youth and torture him.
Deb visited the residence of Sreejith and announced Tripura government's solatium of Rs five lakh to his family.
The death of the 26-year-old allegedly due to custodial torture in Varappuzha police station last month had triggered widespread condemnation by the opposition including the Congress and BJP in Kerala.
The Tripura chief minister visited the family a day after Sreejith's wife Akhila B P joined government service.
Earlier, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh and a Kerala government job appointment letter were handed over to Sreejith's wife. She has been appointed in the Parvur Taluk office in the post of village assistant.
Sreejith, who was taken into custody in connection with the death of a person, had died in a private hospital.
His relatives alleged he died due to custodial torture.
Five police personnel - a circle inspector, a sub-inspector and three members of the Rural Tiger Force (RTF) were arrested in connection with Sreejith's death.
Facing flak from the opposition, the state government constituted a special investigation team (SIT) headed by IGP, S Sreejith to probe the death.
The then Ernakulam Rural Superintendent of Police A V George, transferred to the Thrissur Police Academy after Sreejith died on April 9, was suspended based on the report of the SIT which found lapses on his part.
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