Kerala Congress leaders referred to the arrest of Kerala MLA PV Anvar as a political scheme and denounced it. The arrest of Congress MLA PV Anvar has drawn harsh criticism from K Sudhakaran MP, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), who claims that a “high-level political conspiracy” was responsible for the occurrence. He charged that the police had arrested Anvar with excessive haste while ignoring comparable events involving governing party figures.
He is not a fugitive; he is an MLA and a public servant. The cops were too quick to take him into custody. Even though party secretary MV Govindan was one of the recognizable individuals involved, the police were hesitant to file a complaint when the road was blocked and a stage was constructed during the CPIM conference. In a statement, Sudhakaran added, “If the same fervor was displayed in arresting Anvar, it obviously points to a high-level political conspiracy.”
Ramesh Chennithala, the former leader of the opposition, denounced the detention as an act of “state terrorism.”
In order to arrest him for violating forest law, the police encircled his home at night. State terrorism is exactly what this is. Anvar is not someone who would hide or be a fugitive. Vandalism of public property is the subject of the case, which does not call for such a harsh response. Chennithala said, “This police action is an unprecedented abuse of power.”
He also attacked the police, saying that the episode will permanently damage their name. This is a hideous manifestation of politically motivated, state-sponsored terrorism. It will always be a dark stain on the Kerala Police’s record,” he continued.
Arrest Causes Disputation
MLA PV Anvar was taken into custody on Sunday on suspicion of damaging the Nilambur Divisional Forest Office while participating in a demonstration. The purpose of the protest was to call for justice for a tribal man who was killed by an elephant in the Karulai forest. During the demonstration, Anvar and his followers allegedly caused damage to public property.
Anvar is now being held in Tavanoor jail after the Nilambur magistrate sentenced him to 14 days of judicial detention after his arrest. He and eleven other people were charged with harming public property and hindering law enforcement while they were doing their duties under non-bailable provisions.
Anvar’s followers gathered outside his home, preventing entry, during a tense confrontation after police attempted to arrest him earlier. The Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly authorized the arrest, and a sizable police force was sent in to control the incident.
Anvar was arrested in front of a sizable crowd while his supporters chanted chants of support.
Claims Made Against the Government of Kerala
Once a supporter of the Left Democratic Front, Anvar has turned into a strong opponent of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Kerala administration. He accused the Chief Minister’s aides in September 2024 of stealing confiscated gold and tapping phones.
He said that MR Ajith Kumar, the ADGP (law and order), and P Sasi, the political secretary to the chief minister, were engaged in phone tapping operations directed at journalists and ministers. He also charged IPS officer Sujith Das S and MR Ajith Kumar with embezzling gold that had been seized.
Political disputes in Kerala have been sparked by PV Anvar’s arrest. While the administration defends it as a legitimate step against alleged criminal actions, Congress leaders have framed it as a targeted operation against dissent.
