Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian has downplayed the ganja case involving Kayamkulam MLA U. Prathibha’s son.
Speaking at the S. Vasudevan Pillai’s martyrdom day programme at Kayamkulam on Thursday, Mr. Cherian said that students often hung out and enjoyed the company of others. “Ms. Pratibha’s son is studying in a polytechnic. I have read the First Information Report. It states that he smoked. I, too, occasionally smoke a cigarette. Even M.T. Vasudevan Nair used to smoke countless beedis. There is no need to register a non-bailable case for smoking,” Mr. Cherian said.
The Minister acknowledged that smoking was not a good habit but noted that youngsters sometimes smoked. “If he smoked, it is wrong. But is it such a grave crime? Ms. Prathibha’s son hung out with his friends. What could she do about it? She is a woman and is being unfairly targeted. Among the 140 MLAs in Kerala, she is one of the best. That’s why the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] fielded her from Kayamkulam,” he said.
On Friday, Mr. Cherian clarified his statements at the Kayamkulam meeting. Speaking to media persons, he said that he had not conveyed any wrong message. The Minister said that if the children made a mistake, they should be corrected and if a case needed to be filed, it should be done. “Three grams of ganja was seized from a member of the group. No contraband was seized from Ms. Prathibha’s son. However, a case was filed against all the members of the group. The children and their parents should have been called and counselled. This case is a conspiracy. Ms. Prathibha is being targeted and the ultimate aim is the Communist Party of India (Marxist),” the Minister said.
The Excise department sleuths arrested nine people, including Kaniv, the son of Ms. Prathibha with three grams of ganja from Thakazhi in Kuttanad on December 28. The department seized the ganja from a member of the group, not the MLA’s son. Since it was a small quantity, all nine were released on bail. Immediately after the arrest, Ms. Prathibha denied the charges against her son. She said that no ganja had been seized from Kaniv and that Excise officials had only questioned him and his friends. She alleged that the media were targeting her unfairly.
Published – January 03, 2025 05:59 pm IST
