The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kannur is in turmoil following serious allegations by Manu Thomas, who has accused the party of having an "unholy nexus" with criminal gangs and gold smuggling networks. Manu Thomas is the former district president of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He recently quit the CPI (M).
Thomas has specifically alleged that party state committee member P. Jayarajan’s son Jain Raj and Akash Thillankeri – a CPI(M) leader accused in several criminal cases including murder – control various gangs in the Kannur district and are involved in gold smuggling activities, including operations at Kannur airport.
This is not the first time Thomas has raised his voice against these issues.While he was the DYFI district president, he had organised a protest against gold smuggling and quotation allegations within the party, proclaiming that they have no connections with DYFI. At the time, pictures of Akash Thillankeri and Arjun Ayanki, an accused in gold smuggling cases, were circulated, showing their connections to the CPI(M) leaders.
"When we organized the protest, instead of welcoming the protest in Koothuparamba, it was not supported by the people. Moreover, they also arranged people to make that protest a failure," Thomas said in an interview, referring to his previous efforts as DYFI district president to protest against these issues.
Thomas has called for a high-level inquiry by central agencies into the alleged criminal connections within the CPI(M). His revelations have received support from both the Congress and BJP leadership in Kannur. Kannur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Martin George told the media that "whatever Manu says is true." He also invited Manu Thomas to join the Congress party. “This is a democratic secular party, If Manu likes he can join us,” he said.
BJP national vice president A.P. Abdullakutty has also voiced support, inviting Thomas to join the BJP.
However, Thomas has indicated his intention to focus more on his businesses and pursue creative endeavors, rather than engaging in politics. "I plan to concentrate more on my businesses and want to do something creative," he told the media.
Thomas’ serious allegations have sparked a controversy with Jayarajan threatening to take legal action against him. In a veiled threat, Akash Thillankeri, in a comment under a Facebook post of Red Army page, wrote, "Don't think that one can say anything against the party. It won't take long for the Kannur party to make him understand. Then the businessmen and media who are now with him won't be there to protect him."
In reply to this threat, Thomas in reference to the murder of former CPI (M) leader TP Chandrasekharan, who was killed by CPI (M) leaders, said that the murder was "a big mistake of that time."
"Onchiyam was not part of the revolution." Chandrasekharan was killed in Onchiyam, Kozhikode in 2012. "These people (party leaders) misguide the public that they are revolutionaries and what they do is part of it. It's all linked to these quotation gangs, not revolution," he added.