Kochi: The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has owned up responsibility for the attack on the corporate office of Nitta Gelatin company in Kochi. A release issued by Gogi, spokesman of the Western Ghats zonal committee of the outfit, stated that it was a “symbolic action.”
The release warned about more serious attacks if the company failed to close down its business. The attack was carried out in retaliation for suppressing the peaceful agitation against the firm responsible for polluting the Chalakudy river by dumping toxic wastes into the river, the statement said.
The release blamed the lukewarm response of the government for a series of agitations in the state. It referred to the suppression of the Muthanga struggle of the tribal people and several other agitations connected with green issues. The release also lashed out at the attitude of the Kochi police in handling the ‘Kiss of Love’ protest. The police had facilitated the vandalism of ‘moral cops’ while arresting the protestors, it said.
The statement also pointed out that while goons of moral policing were allowed to go scot-free, the activists were beaten up in a pre-planned manner by the police.
