Politicians make Shari turn in her grave

Jisha Surya
First Published : 28 Mar 2011

THIRVANANTHAPURAM: WHILE in power, both the LDF and the UDF kept them out of their sight. Nobody bothered to empathise with Surendran who lost his daughter, better known as Kilioor sex scandal victim Shari. When another election is round the corner, Surendran and his bereaved family have again become the most sought-after companions of both the fronts.
Surendran told Express that he was fed up with the double standards of both the fronts and requested all to stop using them for petty gains. “I just want to see the culprits behind  bars. It’s disgusting to see my daughter as a campaign issue. Political parties are using even my grand-daughter’s photo on their posters. Do they want to spoil her life too,” Surendran asked.
  Ever since the list of candidates came out, both fronts made all efforts to ensure that Shari’s family was with them. Accompanied by the media, candidates make a beeline to Shari’s house. “I am not against any party. Anybody can come here. But they can’t make use of us for their political gains,” Surendran said.
  Shari  died on November 13, 2004, when the UDF was in power. In the ensuing elections, the LDF, especially CM-hopeful V S Achuthanandan, used the sex scandals prominently as a campaign issue. But once in power, the LDF conveniently forgot the ‘controversial VIP’ and its promise to book the culprits.
  Now it is the turn of the UDF to woo the voters using Shari’s name.
The LDF does not want to be left behind either. It is using numerous posters of Shari’s six-year-old daughter Sneha for the campaign.
  “The UDF is trying to get votes by exposing the double standards of the LDF. The LDF, on the other hand, is making much of the financial aid of `2 lakh given to Shari’s daughter. I don’t want to be a part of this political fight. I want authorities to give justice to my daughter. The UDF or LDF, whoever comes to power, must show the guts to book the culprits,” he said.
Though the family originally hails from  Changanassery, the name of Shari is being used in two other constituencies - Kottayam and Malampuzha. The CPM candidate in Kottayam is using the photos of Shari and Sneha, while in Malampuzha, the same issue is being raised by the UDF candidate against Achuthanandan.