By Swamy Prakashanan

Copyright thehindu

Former Chief Minister and Congress veteran A.K. Antony expressed “profound sadness” over the events that led to the politically turbulent police action at Sivagiri Madhom in 1995, with the rider that the Pinarayi Vijayan government release the Justice Balakrishnan Nambiar Commission report, which he claimed had exonerated his administration of any wrongdoing.

Holding a press conference at Indira Bhavan, the KPCC’s State headquarters, after a hiatus of at least 10 years, Mr. Antony underscored that the E K Nayanar government had constituted the Commission.

At a stroke, Mr. Antony appeared to have resurrected a 21-year-old controversy that rocked the United Democratic Front (UDF) government in 1995, given that a significant section of the population regards the madhom founded by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru as a revered spiritual centre.

The treasury benches had sought to bait the Congress on the Sivagiri police action, which resulted in injuries on both sides and destruction of property, during a heated debate on “law enforcement atrocities” in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Mr. Antony said he had planned to elucidate on Sivagiri, Muthanga and also the Marad communal riots, which resulted in the death of fishers, in Kozhikode in 2003, after the 2026 byelections, to avoid ruffling feathers. However, the unilateral and undefended attacks against him in the House prompted the public response.

Mr. Antony said the then ruling panel of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust (SNDST) refused to implement the High Court order to hand over power peacefully to the “legitimately elected” team led by Swamy Prakashananda.

Several rounds of talks proved futile, and the government risked judicial contempt if it did not implement the High Court order. “It was a personally distressing situation to send the police into the madhom. But as the Chief Minister, I had to uphold the rule of law”, he said.

Mr. Antony said the police action at Muthanga Wildlife Reserve in 2003 saddened him similarly.

His government had no option but to use legal force to evict the Adivasis who had encroached on protected forestland. Mr. Antony said the death of an Adivasi and a police officer during the eviction operation still distressed him.

Mr Antony seemingly signalled an end to his retreat from Kerala politics. “This is not my last press conference. I will remain an active Congress worker till the end of my days,” he added.

He refused to be drawn into the sexual misconduct controversy centred around Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil.