Of late,
the social activist Aswathy has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. She has, all
of a sudden, become persona non grata for the Police and the Government. It was about
five years ago that Aswathy founded an organization in Thiruvananthapuram for
the upliftment of the downtrodden; and she had christened it Jwala because her desire to alleviate
the sufferings of mankind was like an inextinguishable fire in her heart.
Aswathy became a controversial figure after she became
involved in the Liga missing case. Accompanied
by her sister Ilse, Liga the Latvian tourist had come to an Ayurvedic Healing
Centre in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with her treatment for depression.
On March 14, Liga just disappeared from the Healing Centre. A distraught Ilse
was directed by some well-meaning souls to meet Aswathy and seek her help in
tracing her sister. Aswathy soon became actively involved in the search for
Liga. Along with Ilse she went to the police stations to meet and complain to
the police officers there. But the police did not take their complaint
seriously. They then desperately tried to fix an appointment with the CM of
kerala but couldn’t succeed in meeting him.
On April 24, Liga was found dead in a mangrove
near Kovalam; and addressing the Media, along with Ilse, an indignant Aswathy lashed out against the apathy of the police
and the indifference of the Government. The matter became more controversial
when the State Police Chief received a complaint from one Anilkumar in which he alleged that Aswathy had
raised funds in the name of the search operation of Liga and then siphoned off
the money thus collected for her own personal use. The police promptly decided
to conduct a detailed probe and Aswathy has been directed to present herself
before the Special Branch for detailed questioning. The police, she alleges,
have also started harassing and intimidating the members of her family. Aswathy
is also being subjected to vicious attack in the social media.
It was the
involvement of activist Aswathy that made Liga’s case, a case that would
otherwise have been hushed up, catch the attention of the Media and the public.
Let us all appreciate the selfless service of this good Samaritan and condemn
the attempts that are being made to tarnish her image.
Bhadra S
Bhadra S
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