“History repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce” is one of Marx’s most quoted lines. In some ways, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s alleged protection of his Political Secretary P Sasi and MR Ajith Kumar, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), even after the grave charges levelled against them, resembles the one that ravaged the K Karunakaran government of 1991-95.

The sensational espionage case centred on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Thiruvananthapuram that broke out in 1994, though subsequently found null and void, had led to a factional revolt within the ruling Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) that ended Chief Minister Karunakaran’s reign. Though the revolt by the AK Antony faction was triggered by their hostility to Karunakaran, who had been bulldozing them, the core of the clash was the nexus between the Chief Minister and Inspector General of Police Raman Srivastava, who was allegedly involved in the spy case. Srivastava was a critical figure in Karunakaran’s police coterie, helping in the Chief Minister's various political and personal operations. Grabbing the opportunity, Antony group leaders like Oommen Chandy whipped up a feverish campaign accusing Karunakaran of shielding Srivastava in the spy case, which rocked the country with the media portraying it as a diabolical anti-national conspiracy. As public opinion gradually turned against Karunakaran, UDF’s major constituents, the Muslim League and Kerala Congress (Mani), joined the revolt. In March 1995, Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao replaced his close ally, Karunakaran, with AK Antony, who was in Delhi and flew down to Thiruvananthapuram in Rajhans, a special Air Force flight to take over as the new Chief Minister.

Though the case was later proved wrong and political rivalries had inflamed it, Karunakaran’s authoritarian and nepotistic ways could be arrested by the internal forces within the Congress and the UDF, which was an exercise in democratic correction.

The present allegations against Ajith Kumar and Sasi are also yet unproven. Though raised by PV Anwar, a ruling party MLA, the scandal has been amplified by UDF’s political hostility to the Chief Minister. Yet, its underlying triggers are undeniable, like the Chief Minister’s authoritarian style and his close association with the ADGP and his Political........

© Mathrubhumi English