Government will act strongly against goons: Chief Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan said here on Tuesday that the government viewed the operation of goondas and quotation gangs in the State very seriously.

Responding to a notice for moving an adjournment motion from P. T. Thomas (Congress) to discuss growing threats from nexus among goondas, politicians and police officials, said that the government would be dealing strongly with goondas. However, there was no evidence about goonda-police nexus.

Mr. Vijayan said that political affiliations would not help goondas. “Government is not here to protect the goondas but the people.”

Extortion of rich people by goondas by creating some issues had become a very serious problem. Goondas were having a field day in some places and the government had issued directive to the police to suppress such tendencies. The government was determined to check goonda activities.

The Chief Minister said that the government was willing to set up a special team to keep tag on goondas.

Mr. P. T. Thomas demanded a comprehensive enquiry should be conducted into nexus among goondas, police and politicians. Kochi had become a den of goondas and they had links with CPI (M) leaders and the police. Even the Inspector General of Police was behind them.

He said that if someone filed a case at a police station on some issue, the goondas would approach him or her as mediators for settlement. If the complainant would not budge, threats would be used.  Information from police stations reached the goondas within minutes.

Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, who led a walkout over the State becoming a den of goondas and thieves, said that the issue merited a discussion in the House. Law and order was in peril as the goondas enjoyed political backing.

BJP member O. Rajagopal said that the police was not acting impartially. Witnesses and polling agents were being threatened by goons.