Controversial Police Actions: Sivagiri Mutt's 1995 Power Transfer

Sivagiri Mutt chief Swami Sachidananda has defended the controversial police actions that occurred at the Mutt in 1995. This intervention aimed to ensure the transfer of power to Swami Prakashananda, who had emerged victorious in the trust elections. Sachidananda elaborated that the police intervention was painful yet necessary due to High Court directives.

In a recent press conference, former Chief Minister A K Antony elaborated on the reasons behind police actions both at Sivagiri Mutt in 1995 and Muthanga in 2003. These events occurred during his tenure as Chief Minister, and he classified these actions as 'unfortunate.' His comments followed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's mention of police excesses during previous governments.

Separately, tribal leader C K Janu criticized the police's past treatment of tribal protesters demanding land. She expressed discontent over the brutal police actions that targeted even children, stating that better means of resolving conflicts were possible. Janu acknowledged Antony's late recognition of this 'mistake,' accentuating shared responsibility across political entities.

(With inputs from agencies.)