“How can you expect civilized behavior Marxists when their leader, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself was an erstwhile goon,” asks Sreelakshmi, an employee of Muthoot Finance in Pathanamthitta district, which has threatened to close down its 300 branches in Kerala owing to militant trade unionism of the CPI(M). The company’s proposed threat will put jobs of over 2000 people in jeopardy.
Following the strike by CITU, the CPI(M)’s trade union, Muthoot Finance shut down its branches across the state. However, a large section of employees, especially women, bracing attacks and abuses of CITU goons, forcibly opened many branches.
In several places, CITU goons created hurdles for employees to open the shutters of their offices. CITU goons threatened and intimidated employees, especially women who turned up to work. In a viral video, a CITU goon is seen manhandling a Muthoot woman employee and threatening to kill her and her husband. “You will not open the office. I have sixteen cases against me. I know how to deal with you and your husband,” the goon tells the woman official.
In another place, women asked the CPI(M) goon to mind his business as they have to “do the job to fill stomachs”. Ignoring his protests, they opened the shutters and went for their work. “At a time when there are not enough jobs, CITU goons are out to kill jobs. The CPI(M)-led government is an utter failure. They are good at extortion and issuing threats. CPI(M) has turned Kerala into a graveyard of business enterprises,” said Advocate B Gopalakrishnan, BJP leader.
The attitude of the CITU has triggered widespread protests across the state. “The CPI(M) is goonda party. They did the same thing in Bengal. Soon these rascals will be wiped out of Kerala,” says Manjusha.
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