Violent scenes ensued outside the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on the morning of Monday, November 7, after Youth Congress workers tried to topple police barricades and barge into the Corporation campus, to protest against Mayor Arya Rajendran with regard to the controversy surrounding a letter which she allegedly wrote to CPI(M) district secretary seeking a list of candidates for appointment to daily wage jobs in the Corporation.
The police tried to disperse the protesters using water cannons and tear gas shells. While the Youth Congress workers protested outside the corporation campus, there was a protest by the BJP members inside the corporation.
The letter in the official letterhead of the Corporation has a signature of Arya Rajendran and has a list of 295 vacancies to be filled up. The letter addresses Nagappan as ‘comrade’ and provides a break-up of the vacancies (public health expert - 1, doctors 74, staff nurses - 66, pharmacists - 64, lab technicians - 23, multi-purpose workers - 59, optometrists - 2 and part time sweepers - 6).
The Opposition alleged that the letter is proof of nepotism, with the Opposition leader VD Satheesan seeking her resignation. “Not just in local self government institutions, in all public and government sectors in Kerala the appointments are made based on the list given by CPI(M) district secretaries. These backdoor appointments continue even after the contract period and that is why many don’t get appointed through the Public Service Commission. Now the corruption has come to light through the letter,” he had earlier said.
However, Arya has categorically denied writing or signing such a letter, Anavoor Rajappan has said that he did not receive such a letter. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Arya said that she filed a complaint with the Chief Minister seeking to conduct a probe about the letter. Stating that the letter appears to be edited, she said that the falsity of the letter or the signature must be ascertained in the inquiry.