Finally CPM has decided to take the plunge, putting all speculations to rest. It will be really bad if things go by the way as reported.
I feel This reporter is backed by some evil advocates trying to push Proprietary Software in Kerala.
As I heard ( some of my friends are participated on that meeting) no such moves happened in that meeting. Let me quote from another mail I posted on Fourth Estate Critique E-Group (A list of media people in Trivandrum, archive is not public) on 21st evening ( The day in which this meeting is happened) in 2 another Discussion threads Related to Proprietary software promotion by Information Kerala mission(IKM) in Local Self Governance and an embeded report in indian express (by same reporter)targeting SPACE & 2 Free Softwares Promotion programmes of it.
<quote> All IKM people were present at Cochin today on CPIM's meeting to popularize Free Software :-) Pinayrayi Vijayan , P.Rajeev, Anwar sadath from IT@school etc were leaded the programme. They formed a state level committee for this (joseph thomas from ATPS/OSS ICS is the convener, District coordinators were selected) The meeting also decided to create an online squad of party cadre to counter the critiques against party in cyberspace.
I can now really understand the meaning of Indian express report.
Dear Press friends & list members Free Software Community in Kerala is not on any of the groups in CPIM>. We are not interested to limit ourself in fractions of a political party. We believe Free Software way is more inclusive & transforming the world much better than these groups. we are busy with Free Software Development, Advocacy, User Groups & our own jobs.
3 more Free Software community events are coming on next 2 months . Hackerdom in Thrissur(jan 9-11, http://hackerdom.in ), FOSSmeet@MEC (Model Engineering College, Eranakulam http://foss.mec.ac.in ) and FOSSmeet@ NITC in Calicut( http://fossmeet.in ). I request your cooperation for spreading the message of Free Software to Common people. </quote>
The P.rajeevs quote in IE Report also justifies above information I got from my friends.
If opportunists start controlling the Free Software movement, it is very likely that it is the ideals of FS that is going to be modified more than any software under it. They can't be blamed for it, since it is quite habitual for them to reverse their announced policies as part of trying to catch up with the present, just as they did in the case of World Bank and ADB loans(to name just two).
I think we dont need to afraid about any Kind of political party control on Movement or FSFI(after the board statement). FS movement cant be never controlled by people with a politics of exclusion. And only way to get stake in movement is only by Contributing to it. I still this space is still Open for any Political parties. Some political parties may succeed for a time being to act as Vanguards of FS movement in front of media. But it will change when movement is growing. As I quoted above, I still feel Kerala CPIM is still in the track of promoting Free Software. But merging the same initiative with "party's image control' on cyberspace is certainly bad. As a follow up of this meeting They Organised a Training to Their Youth wing (DYFI) on 28th & 29th at Ottappalam, Palakkad district. This really shows they are still on right path. Leave the specific interests of the reporter & people behind it.
Madhyamam, a local daily today has a report by P.K Prakash that Mr. Joseph Mathew, was removed from his post as IT Advisor to the Kerala CM, as he resisted the efforts of a group from taking over FSF India. The attempts to organize a local FSF chapter in TN without the consent of the Board Members, the Kochi conference, and the latest reports ... may be the 'hijack' theory was not entirely baseless.
Most of the media reports and Joseph's statement in Todays news papers reflects it is related to IT/ITES SEZs. This report will http://dailypioneer.com/147238/Anil-Kumar-Joseph-tender-resignations.html
Anyway I dont think the issues pointed by you is not completely out of context. These kind of news is already spreading. Some friends inside the Party told me , in the meeting there was criticism against joseph for our boycott Novell campaign in Kochi conference in which he don't have any role. Anyway I dont think party is that much foolish to properly understand these kind of Conspiracy theories propagated by Joseph Thomas & team. I am not believing it
Anivar Aravind